My Own Aster
by the missing x
Summary: What if Zatanna had a daughter no one knew about? What if that was the reason she disappeared all those years ago? What if she kept her past and heritage hidden to her daughter? What if one day Zatanna goes missing again and all her daughter has is a code to some broken down telephone box?How will Mary find her own Aster in this new world she's been thrown into? Chalant :)
1. Chapter 1

Hey! This is a new story that I have thought of and because I like Young Justice I decided to apply it here. :)

Critcism I can take, I'm not a china doll post your comments if you think I should continue or not.

Disclaimer: Don't own Young Justice or DC Universe

-The Missing X

* * *

The year was irrelevant to her, nothing but one thing matter to her now. She ran away at the ripe old age of 17 and never looked back. It wasn't her best decision by far, but she wasn't going to cry about it. She was tougher than that.

Around here people called her Zee, not Zatanna. They didn't know about her, her connection to the League or and hero. No one knew about it. And she intended it to stay that way.

It was risky to keep her face out in the open, but she was far away from any heroes or villains. She wasn't concerned for her safety, she was concerned for her other half's.

She never let her out of her sight, well as much as she could anyway. She was also cautions about anyone that would recognize _her_.

This was her life now. She was a 27-year-old journalist, Zee Arataz, working for a small, but big enough news branch. Who lived in an apartment in New York City.

To be honest she missed the hero gig, saving people, putting a smile of everyone's faces. But she hadn't given up on the whole Homo Magi thing, she could never give it up, it coursed through her veins and she was thankful that her other half hadn't gained her abilities.

Her other half: Mary-Aster Sindella Arataz: her pride and joy her daughter.

Named after her fathers parents, a flower and her own mother, she was one of the most bubbly, intelligent, playful girls Zee had encountered.

A crazy smart 10 year old that took part in after school activities her mother would not really approve of. Namely martial arts, gymnastic and as a branch off, circus arts.

Zatanna did not approve of these, she would rather prefer her daughter stay inside and not get hurt, or be recognized by anyone. But Mary had proven herself to be smart, stubborn and extremely resourceful, as she had snuck out of the house every time Zatanna forbade her to do anything.

She didn't have friends here, only acquaintances, neighbours and people she saw at work. She did how ever have one friend that knew about her and Mary.

It wasn't like she asked for someone to ruin everything, she had simply been walking to pick Mary up from gym and someone had spotted her.

To say the least she was surprised by her full name being said aloud was a total understatement. To say she was happy to see Raquel rushing over to her with an angry look on her face was an understatement.

But they had talked and come to an agreement. Raquel could visit both her and Mary, but she couldn't tell anyone, not even Kaldur, who she had gotten married to.

"Mum!" Mary shouted startling Zee out of her thoughts.

"Mary?" Zatanna shouted back, thankfully all the walls of the apartments here were sound proof.

"Hurry! I'm going to be late to the mathlete meet." The in uniform Mary said using her hands to push her raven coloured hair out of her face and into her signature ponytail at the crown of her head with a few strands framing her face, simply because they did not want to go into the ponytail or be brushed back.

"Fine, let's go." Zatanna sighed grabbing her coat and heading out the door with Mary in front of her.

* * *

"Why did you have to make me go to a catholic school?" She groaned, too many rules she thought.

"Because they have great values that you could learn to adapt to." Zatanna said sternly.

"But there are too many snobs." She bluntly said, thinking of all the people that constantly bullied her for being too good.

Zatanna sighed, this had always been a problem for Mary: not fitting in. "Mary, we can move school if you want to but this school has a really good education it can offer you, I mean look. You're 10, nearly 11 and already in the mathletes team."

"I know, I'll do it for you. Is Aunt Rocky coming to watch?" She asked curiosity getting the better of her, Aunt Rocky was the only person mum had as a friend, and she had no clue about her dad. But she couldn't admit she wasn't curious about her real dad or her mum, she knew nearly nothing about the both of them.

"She isn't today, sorry Mary, she's got business to attend to overseas." Which was Zatanna saying, League Business.

* * *

The Mathlete meet had gone well, she had added another title under her belt and she was still hunting a few more.

"Mary?"

"Yeah?" She said looking around to find her mum contemplating something in their living room.

"If you would drop one activity what would you drop?" She asked slowly, being patient and not triggering any negative responses.

"Why?" Mary said immediately on alert.

"Just wondering," Zee shrugged off, "Would you choose your sport or your academics."

"Well the answer would be I would continue with all of them. Come one mum, we just started working on more things at circus, and they are finally letting me go on the trapeze without a stupid net."

"I know, but just be careful ok? You never know what could be out there." Zatanna said trying not to tip her daughter off.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. How many times have we had this talk mum? It's always be home before sundown, be on time, don't wander off without me, always keep to the main roads, blah, blah, blah. Lighten up will you? You are so not whelmed." She said smirking slightly.

But Zatanna could only comprehend the last words she had said, _whelmed_? Where had that come from?

"Mary where did you hear whelmed from?" Zatanna asked her body tensed,

"Reading the dictionary at school, then some kid said that spelling was overwhelming and another person said that listening to music all day was underwhelming, so then I thought, why can't anyone just be whelmed?"

"O-ok. Just, just go to bed, you've had a long day."

"Sure, g'night mum." Mary said as she walked down the hallway to her room.

"Whelming." Zatanna whispered to herself, reliving those memories before the mess.

* * *

There it is! Post a review or PM me, I just want to hear some feedback!

Thanks

-The Missing X


	2. Chapter 2

Hi guys! This is chapter 2 and thanks for the two that reviewed this story :)

Disclaimer: Don't own Young Justice or DC Universe.

-The Missing X

* * *

"Mary-Aster!" A whiny voice called.

Mary cringed and held onto her backpack straps tighter, was getting to class so hard?

"Twerp, listen to your elders."

_Ignore her, don't pay attention, it's what she wants._

Suddenly she felt herself be tugged back and fell to the floor. Laughter erupted around her, but she only narrowed her eyes at Jen, her personal devil. Blonde hair, blue eyes, typical cake face and it in no way looked natural.

This was a downside of being put up a year. Everyone constantly beat down on her for being a nerd.

"Guys it looks like Mary-Aster has fallen on her behind, how can you be 'good at gymnastics' if you can't even stand properly?"

Cue another bout of laughter.

Instead of biting her tongue like she was told to she snapped back, "And for someone with supposed 'good fashion sense' you dress like a slut." But as soon as the words came out of her mouth her eyes widened.

"What did you say twerp?" Jen asked threateningly her arms crossed over her chest.

"Nothing." Mary said trying to escape the circle that had formed around the two, but no one would move, must be Jen's 'friends'.

"Mary-Aster, remember we are nearly two years older than you, you're 10 while most of us are twelve. Which makes us higher than you; I don't care if you're some freak that's too smart for her own year. This is my school. Don't mess with me."

"I'm sorry." Mary said with a straight face void of any emotion.

"Sure twerp, no wonder you only have a mum, your dad doesn't like you because you're a freak." Jen hissed out.

"You don't know anything." Mary whimpered back as she finally found a path of escape.

She hated how they could make her feel, she hated how they could get under her skin and she couldn't do anything about it.

Jen was the worst by far, why did they even let her go here? It was catholic right? They had a uniform, but you could make additions to it like jewellery, shoes, socks, and hair stuff. Mum said it was a laid back school with good values.

But the comment hurt every time she said it, _'you don't have a dad because you're a freak.'_

She wasn't going to lie, it stung a lot, but she buried it deep down so she would forget. Or she would take it out on someone at martial arts; even at this young age she was a dedicated fighter.

She found a seat at the back of the class and waited for the teacher to start their lesson.

"Ok guys," She said clapping her hands together, "This term we are looking at laws and how they are upheld, if they are upheld. We will start with a two week assignment, then move onto the rights and then look into them with detail to see if you can spot something that's not quite right."

The class groaned, they had just started the topic and she was already giving them an assignment.

"Now, now. I think you guys will like the assignment I have planned for you. But first! Lets talk about the law. Who enforces the law? Yes, Henry?"

"The police."

"Yes, but think more outside the box, the police are there but when things get out of hand who do they hand things over to?"

"The Justice League!" An enthusiastic voice called out.

"Right you are. The Justice League is made up of a vast majority of heroes that help people all around the world. Who can name a few heroes?"

"Superman!"

"Wonder Woman!"

"Green Lantern!"

"Aquaman!

"Batman!"

"Ok, you get the picture. Your task is to pick one hero you know of and research them, work they have done, people they have saved, and plots they have stopped. Everything. You have two weeks and at the end of that two weeks you will present your findings to the class." The teacher chirped, happy they finally like something she gave out. "You can start now, we will have three more class periods for this and then you will have to do it at home."

The class fell into chatter about their assignment as different people debated different things and searched up different heroes online.

Mary decided to search for heroes in the most crime-ridden cities of the USA, as she thought the best heroes were the ones with more work. A small list of people came up: Batman, Nightwing, Robin, Batgirl, Tigeress, Zatanna.

Her first thought was to go with Batman, but since everyone knew him there wouldn't be much to report on. Deciding she would take a look at the second name on the list, Nightwing, she read different news reports, clippings, stories, accounts about him, and soon she found her self writing down notes and linking them up, she realized quickly that Nightwing was in fact the first ever Robin. Even sightings of Nightwing are getting rare, as he seems to move constantly between Bludhaven and Gotham City.

* * *

Arriving at her apartment she got out her keys to open the door, when she got inside she sat down and continued on with her homework, having a mum working full time for a small news branch means that she will be late home.

Encasing herself around the numerous articles on Nightwing and company she soon had a few pages filled up with notes, some taken from the smallest detail and some more obvious than others.

"Honey I'm home!" Zee called from the front door,

"Hey mum!" Mary called back.

"Dinner's pizza tonight, sorry I'm late by the way."

"Don't worry I was doing some homework, gym got cancelled because coach is overseas for the next few weeks." Mary said taking the pizza from her mum's hands.

"Oh yeah? And what homework are you doing?" Zee said not believing for one second she was actually doing homework.

"Social Studies, you can take a look if you want, we got given a new assignment today."

Zee moved around to the bench to have a look at the notes scattered around, but she immediately froze when she saw the webpage that was open: New Vigilante in Bludhaven?

She knew Bludhaven was Nightwing's home and she knew that _he_ had started out as Nightwing shortly before she ran away. But she didn't want her daughter doing this, she moved to get away from it all.

"Hey mum?" Mary called from the front door,

"Yeah?" She called absentmindedly still looking at the name.

"Aunt Rocky's here." She said bringing her friend in.

"Zee!" Raquel cried and went to hug her friend. But when she was sure only Zatanna could here her she whispered, "we really need to talk."

* * *

Half an hour later Mary was having a shower while Rocky and Zee were sitting in the living room looking at Mary's notes on Nightwing.

"She'd be a great detective." Raquel slipped in looking at all the detail in the notes.

"Don't bring it up." Zee said.

"No, I have to. When are you going to come back or tell him?"

"I don't know: maybe one day, maybe never."

"He misses you, you know?" Raquel tried again,

"Raquel we both know that's not true, he's got Barbara now." Zatanna said smiling, while feeling dead on the inside.

"Zatanna. You won't you tell him?" Raquel said using her actual name. Zatanna's eyes widened in shock.

"SH! She could have heard you." She scolded. But the dark skinned girl only rolled her eyes.

"She's in the shower, can't you hear the water running?" And it was true the water was running but Mary wasn't inside, she was listening to every word of their conversation.

Her mind was racing: Her mum's actual name was Zatanna, she swore she had heard it somewhere before. Her mum knows where her dad is. Her dad has a girlfriend or wife called Barbara.

Rushing back to the bathroom to have a quick shower she reviewed the new facts she had. Finally, she had some clues as to who her dad was, who she was.

* * *

"Bye Raquel, see you next time and good luck with the League." Zee called after her friend.

"See ya Zee!"

The door shut with a loud thud. Mary was still researching for her Social Sciences project but she couldn't seem to focus. Minimizing the browser she proceeded to open another one that's history couldn't be tracked.

Searching in the search website she typed in: Zatanna.

Sadly the problem with having a small apartment and hardly any Wi-Fi was it didn't load fast enough. Sighing she reopened her research and continued to write her notes on Nightwing.

* * *

On the other side of the country…

* * *

"You ok man?" Wally asked his best friend while driving home from work.

"I'm fine Wally, you don't need to check up on me every few minutes." The voice warily said back.

"I know, I know. Hey how about we do something this weekend with Roy, Conner and Kaldur?" He suggested.

A sigh came from the opposite end of the line, "Are you trying to distract me?"

"What? Psf. No, that would be absurd. What made you think that?" Wally replied narrowly missing some pedestrians that were now screaming at him.

"Because you've been planning this for weeks."

"Aw come one man, you never go out anymore, actually you do. How's Barbara on that note?"

"She's good, and yes I do go out. Wally just because _the day _is coming up fast doesn't mean I'll be depressed; she's been out of my life for nearly _eleven years_. I think I'm over her, if I wasn't I'd be such a sap."

"Are you sure? Because last year this time you were drunk off your ass." Wally rebutted, no way he was losing this fight to a bat.

"That was last year Wally, and you don't have to remind me. I'm spending this year with Babs."

"That is a bull faced lie. I talked to her and she said you were free, so you have no choice but to come with us. Meet us in the cave on Saturday 7 at night SHARP. Don't be late." Just like that he hung up.

Parking the car rather awkwardly in the driveway of his house with Artemis he unloaded the boot and brought all the groceries in. Which all in all took half and hour.

"Hey Baywatch." Artemis said as she came home from work,

"Hey Arty," Wally said still running around the house sorting things out.

"You expecting a guest?" She said as she watched the streak that was Wally run like a crazy.

"Yeah, erm. Conner and M'gann are coming over for dinner and they're bringing in Christian too." Wally said rubbing the back of his neck.

"And you think to tell me now?" Artemis groaned.

"Sorry but you know, kind of busy now."

"Fine, you set out the house and I'll make dinner, just keep checking for when they're here."

"You got it babe." He said before resuming his speed of cleaning.

* * *

A loud knock came from the door and immediately was opened by Wally to reveal the Martian- Kyrptonian family.

"Conner, M'gann, Greenie! Come in." He said enthusiastically.

"Thanks for inviting us over Wally," M'gann gushed as she held Christian's hand.

"No prob green cheeks, this is just a small thing so don't expect anything big."

"We'll try not to." Conner said smirking.

"Hey guys," Artemis called from the kitchen, "dinner will be ready in like five minutes so just hang on."

"Artemis!" M'gann said, gifting Christian to Conner and flying over to the kitchen.

"Hey M'gann how's everyone?"

"We're ok, just _the_ anniversary is coming up and we don't want to put anymore pressure on everyone." She said sadly.

"I know," Artemis whispered back, "but we'll get through this again this year."

"We will but will Dick?" M'gann said looking over to the boys playing with Christian.

"I'm not sure but everyone has set something up for him this year to keep his mind off it, so hopefully this year will be better than the last."

"We can only hope now can't we?"

Artemis sighed, she really didn't want to talk about Zatanna, it only brought her down. She could be dead for all they knew, she could be a villain for all they knew, but for all they knew she was still out there, just lost.

"Have you joined the League yet?" Artemis suddenly asked.

"No. Both Conner and me want to stay with the team you know? It's just more comforting. Although Aqualad just joined and so did Red Arrow, again."

"That's great, me and Wally seem to keep missing out on everything that goes on there."

It was true, after the Reach Invasion, which Wally had narrowly survived, they both decided to take their vacation to Paris and then retire again.

"Don't you miss it though?" M'gann asked curiously

"Of course I miss it, but I'm happy. Really happy where I am, it's just a matter of keeping up with everything." Artemis said.

"Um Artemis?"

"Yes?"

"I think it's burning."

"What!"

Turning around at a speed Wally would be proud of she moved to turn the oven off and pull the door down. True to M'gann's word her dinner had been burnt. What was supposed to be Shepard's pie looked like a black cake.  
"Hey Wally?" Artemis called.

"Yes Arty?" He called from the living room.

"Order that pizza, dinner got burnt."

"Rodger that commander."

* * *

New York City

* * *

Mary carefully read the pixels on the screen to see if she was hallucinating or not.

_Zatanna: a known Homo Magi, or magician, who is a member of the Justice League of America. _

There was another link below the line of words that led to a picture of this Zatanna.

Clicking it slowly she waited for the image to load. Bit by bit the file loaded, revealing the black raven hair so familiar to her. The ice blue eyes she envied her mother for, and then finally the whole file was loaded. It was her mother, or at least she thought it was. She just looked younger.

Clicking to return to the first page she continued reading a news article that was published nearly eleven years ago.

_'Zatanna Zatara has been reported missing by close friends, the magician who's father is part of the Justice League has yet to issue a comment on this report. Zatara who is seventeen years of age was last seen at the Happy Harbor Mall, two days ago. If you have any information on her whereabouts contact this number immediately. 962 4633 7465_.'

What even? This couldn't be her mum. Her mum was so quite, shy and definitely not a magician. Right? But everything said otherwise, the last name: Zatara was just flipped backwards to form Arataz.

She knew her mum would freak out if she found out that she knew. So her best bet right now was to wait, plan and then take action.

* * *

There it is review what you guys think please, it just helps me make the story better for you to read:)

-The Missing X


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you to everyone who reviewed, Guest, Sparrow'sArrow, PainInSilence, princesslolitatheor654 and PrettyKitty Luvs U.

I hope you all like this chapter :) If you have any ideas simply review or PM me!

Disclaimer: Don't own Young Justice or DC Universe.

-The Missing X

* * *

A blaring alarm sounded from beside her. Stuffing her face into her pillow further trying to get away from the sound she groaned, another day of school.

Trying to go back to sleep so her mum might let her off she pulled the blankets up higher to try and block the sound out.

But not being able to successfully block the horrid beep of the death trap alerting her to the start of the day, she shot up and slammed her fist down onto the alarm clock, effectively breaking it.

"Mary," Zatanna called from outside her door, "You better have not broken another clock."

Looking to her fist Mary mentally face palmed and shouted back, "Haven't mum."

"Hurry up and get dressed or you'll be late for school."

She rolled her eyes, it was 7am, there was no way she was going to be late to school. Getting up and throwing her uniform out from the closet she got changed.

White short sleeved blouse, a pleated black, above the knee skirt, black cardigan with the schools crest embroidered on the left side, her high top black sneakers and her hair up in the ponytail. She strolled out to the kitchen for her breakfast. Sitting down on the stool she expertly stuffed scrambled eggs into her mouth with one go.

"Mary if you keep doing that you're going to choke." Zatanna scolded taking her seat across the bench.

"Just because I have perfected this art doesn't mean you have to be jealous." Mary said, mouth still full of egg.

"Just eat up, Aunt Rocky will be coming by to take you to school."

"Why can't you?" Mary said testing out her new found knowledge.

"Because they need me to on the other side of the country for a new report." Zatanna said sadly smiling.

"So you're going to be on the other side of the country for a day?"

"No, tonight you'll be going with Aunt Rocky to her place for the weekend and you'll be back here Sunday night."

"So you're dumping me with Aunt Rocky who lives outside of New York?" She asked, excitement growing inside her.

"Yes, isn't that what you've always wanted, to get out of New York?" She asked expectantly.

"That's why I'm asking, are you feeling ok?" She said cautiously, her mum obviously had something planned.

"I'm feeling fine, just pack tonight when you get home, you'll be having dinner at the airport and then Aunt Rocky will be travelling with you on the plane to Happy Harbor." She said grabbing the empty plates and putting them in the sink.

"So I'm aloud to go outside of New York now?"

"This is a one time thing Mary, make the most of it." Zatanna reminded.

"But why don't we ever go out? I want to see different cities and do different things." Mary argued back.

"Mary don't you have enough of travelling for your gymnastics?"

"That doesn't count. I'm in a team and while we're there we train."

"But you still travel, get your bag Aunt Rocky's going to come soon and you have to be ready to leave."

Mary just grumbled and left to pack her bag, she could safely assume that she wasn't going to mathletes after school.

Grabbing all her belongings and stuffing them inside her bag she trudged out of her room to find a smiling Aunt looking down on her.

"Mary! We're going to have a blast this weekend." The dark skinned girl exclaimed.

"So can I meet your husband?" Mary asked eagerly, Rocky had always talked about Kaldur but Mary had never gotten to see him, or even shown a picture of him.

"He's away on a business trip this weekend Mary, but we'll try catch him next time."

"Fine, but don't try get out of it this time." Mary warned.

"Bye Mary, be safe." Zatanna said looking at her,

"Bye mum, love you." Mary said before following Raquel out of the door.

"Love you too." Zatanna whispered teary eyed.

* * *

"Class we have a special guest to speak to us today. As you all know we have been learning about laws and how they are enforced. One ways the government uses to make sure the lawbreakers are serving consequential time for their wrong doings is sending them to prison. We have a detective here today to tell us about the process of going to prison and staying there. If you would all welcome Detective John Jones."

The class clapped quite lazily for the tall African-American detective who stood in front of their whiteboard to start the talk.

"Hello everyone, my name is John. I work for the police force as a detective in crime investigations, which means I find out what happens to a person, or what happens at a crime scene. Then the process from there is to write up a report to give to the judge, or whoever is over seeing the case and then they decide on the sentence for the criminal, or if they are guilty or not guilty." He said but was interrupted when a hand shot up bringing his attention to focus on the girl who's face was hidden in the shadows at the back of the room.

"Yes?" He trailed off not knowing her name.

"Mary," a young voice replied, "I have a question Mr. Jones. Do you think that if you aren't proven guilty then you are innocent or not guilty?"

He had to think about that one for a second, it was a deep question.

"Well Mary in the justice system no one is ever treated as innocent, even after they have been found to be not guilty of a charge we can still find more evidence against that person to convict them again." He said solemnly.

"But if you aren't treated as innocent then what does the term innocent mean to the justice system Mr Jones?" Mary argued still very curious.

"Young Mary, the difference between innocent and not guilty is if you were innocent you wouldn't be in the situation, but to be not guilty you were accused at some point. That is the difference between innocent and not guilty in the justice system."

"But why would the base of our justice system be called justice if some people see it unjust that you are easily stereotyped against once being trialed for an offence you may have not committed?"

He chuckled to himself, she was a questioner, and that's what they looked for in a good detective.

"Mary, as we say in the field it's not just you alone, you've got a team. I do not know the answer to your excellent question, although I would be willing to find out for you."

"Thanks Mr Jones, but that isn't necessary I was merely questioning your typical views on this." Mary replied swiftly. By now the rest of the class weren't surprised at how intellectually adapt she was, but John had only seen this a few times before in his life.

"No thanks needed, any other questions?"

"Do you work with the Justice League?" Jen asked with her whiney voice.

"Sometimes we work with a hero, not necessarily the League." He answered slowly and thoughtfully.

"Do you then know about Zatanna who went missing nearly eleven years ago?" She asked again, and it took all of Mary's will power not to jump up and slug her.

"Ah yes, all of the east coast were on high alert for her, but still she is missing."

"Do you know that someone in this class looks just like Zatanna when she was younger?" Jen asked a wicked smirk on her face.

"No, but I do not think this is on topic anymore."

"Just hear me out," Jen said getting up, heels clicking on the floorboards, "Don't you guys think it's funny how Zatanna disappeared nearly eleven years ago, and the one person that looks like her is going to be eleven this year? Coincidence? I think not."

Mary thought wryly, she's smarter than anyone gives her credit for, although this is the first time she has shown potential.

"It must be a coincidence for them to look similar then." He replied trying to get out of this.

"I don't think so, Mary." She called out.

Isn't that the girl before? John thought to himself.

"Come on Mary don't be shy, unless you have something to tell us?" Jen groaned, in class there was no way she was going to even try and call her names.

"I don't want to." She softly replied,

"Mary get up here, this is like the most obvious thing ever." Jen complained again.

"I don't want to Jen." She said with more force,

"Mary, we know your insecure but you don't have to hide it, embrace who you are."

"The only embrace I accept is one from my loved ones not my tormentors." She snarled at her, Jen didn't need anything from her.

"Fine we all know you don't have loved ones so you can be lonely." Jen gruffed, not being able to create a smart sounding comeback fast enough.

"Ouch, you wound me, oh blonde dimbo." Mary said dramatically, gaining a few laughs from her peers.

"Enough class, Jen you can take your seat now, Mary come up to the front of the class to give a one minute speech on why you should retaliate with words, since you are so keen to in my class." The teacher said resulting in complete silence.

John was quite curious about this Mary, and if she did look like Zatanna.

Sliding out of her desk and walking to the front of the class head down. When she raised her head everyone couldn't help but see the resemblance, none more than the detective. She in fact did look exactly like Zatanna, although her eyes weren't the same blue and her hair was straight.

With a sarcastic look on her face she started her one-minute speech.

"Why is verbal retaliation better than physical? There are many reasons why, emotional trauma, they make you sound very intellectual and they are more fun.

Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me. Ever heard of that? It is simply not true. Words cut deep, the brain can accept the bullying or comment and mistranslate it for something that is true, so you truly believe you are ugly, or dumb or a douche. This can overall mess with your mental and physical health, for example you could develop depression, or an eating disorder.

The reason we go to school is to learn and get smarter, they tell us its to prepare us for some future but they're lying. They want us to get smarter, and to prove that you are, you can use verbal retaliation instead of physical. Simply because, if you are smart enough, you come back with great witty comments that leave the person unsure about what to say.

The last reason I have time to say is it simply messes with your mind. Words can be twisted around to make you feel like it was your fault, or you didn't do good enough. This is also known as hidden bullying, a bullying that can mess with the way you think and how you interpret things. Which is dangerous because, like reasons above, it can result in mental or physical problems. Once again folks, verbal is always better, don't get a depression or disorder after this and do not listen to anything Jupey Janice has to say." Mary said finishing.

"Thank you Mary," The teacher said slightly disturbed, "I want you to write up a report on today's lesson and Mr Jones would like a word with you after the bell has rung."

Nodding she walked back to her desk and sat down, ignoring all the stares people were giving her now.

As if someone watching over her gave her a wish the bell rang signally the end of the day.

Everyone filed out of the class with chatter, few voices calling 'thank you' to the teacher, others just ignoring her and leaving.

"Mary," John called walking to the girl still slouching in her desk.

"Yes Mr Jones?" She warily answered, she just wanted to go and get on that plane.

"I understand you are a year above your own year level,"

"I am."

"I just wanted to say that you are very smart, and have potential for great things. I know a few people that would like you."

Mary straightened up at that, now she was listening.

"Who?" She asked,

"One time a few years ago, I was privileged enough to work with the greatest detective on this planet. I met him and his other counterparts and they were all very deducing and analytical, much like yourself."

"Who are they?"

"Young one they are known to everyone as Batman, Robin, Nightwing and Batgirl."

"You know them?" She asked astonished, more focused on the fact that he had worked with them.

"Indeed I do, I understand that you are doing a presentation on a hero in class."

"We are, I'm doing Nightwing." She gushed to the detective.

"Oh, why have you chosen to do Nightwing?" He said, while trying to gloss over her thoughts, excitement and pride.

"Because Batman was too well known to do something surprising. So I went to the next crime rattled city, Bludhaven, so you get better heroes." She said like it was the most obvious thing ever,

"Oh jezz," She said looking at the time, "Sorry Mr Jones, I've really got to go, I have to pack for my trip tonight, thank you for the chat!" She said rushing out of the room, dragging her backpack along with her.

John just looked after her in deep thought: that was peculiar. She looked just like Zatanna, minus the eyes, but she couldn't be, could she? No, the thought was too absurd.

* * *

"Zee are you sure you want to do this?" Raquel asked as Rocket the hero.

"Raquel, it's one short easy mission. Just a minor dimensional disturbance."

"Exactly, leave it to the league or the team."

"You know I can't Raquel, this is magic related and they don't have anyone to go in, that's why they've left it until Dr. Fate comes back from his off world mission."

"But Zee something could go wrong."

"I know Raquel, things go wrong, and do you know how many times people have told me this?"

"Zatanna. Hear me out. If you got injured or went missing what would Mary do?"

The magician paused thinking of her only daughter, her rock for the last ten years,

"I have something set up, don't worry. I've set all kind of things up for in-case plans. She'll be fine, I'll be fine and I'll be back on Sunday night. Keep her safe until then and don't tell her _anything._" Zatanna said before shutting the door behind her leaving the hero to stare in her thoughts.

* * *

Mary sat waiting on the bench outside the school gates, watching the fancy cars and limousines drive past, watching parents pick their children up, the leaves drifting in a downward spiral from the trees and by the second the school gate become less and less populated, only to leave her there alone once again.

Where was Aunt Rocky? She did remember the plan right? Mary had been so young when she first started to dream about travelling outside of New York, people call it the big apple, you find everything here. But Mary had never felt so isolated, she didn't have any friends, the closest she got to friends was teammates, the reason behind this was the fact she didn't know who her dad was. Everyone in the school thought she was a weirdo and her mum must be some sort of weirder creep to not tell her own daughter her dad's name.

Mary just brushed them off every time a rumor came around. Ignore and it will get bored, was something her mum said to her when she came home crying.

Aunt Rocky was like a big sister to her, she cracked jokes, teased her and even went to the mall with her sometimes. She didn't know why but she always felt safe around her, maybe it was the fact that she had grown up most of her life with the presence of Aunt Rocky.

Just as she was about to get up and start walking on her own a voice from the end of the street called out to her, "Mary!"

She turned to look at the figure waving both hands in the air for her to come over. Cracking a smile she ran over with athletic speed and embraced her aunt in an excited hug.

"I can't wait for this weekend!" She squealed looking up at the older woman, while jumping up and down in excitement.

"I can't either, now if we want to make it to the plane on time we have to go home and get packed, leave and then get dinner when we arrive." Raquel listed off.

"Don't worry I've got all my stuff for the weekend here and we can go now. I'll get changed when we get to Happy Harbor and eat dinner too."

"Um are you sure? Because that seems like a pretty small bag for the weekend." She asked skeptically eyeing the beaten down brown leather back pack.

"Yea, I've got three changes of clothes and a hair tie, I am sorted."

"Let's head to the airport then." Raquel, still skeptical, said.

"Finally! I'm escaping the prison!" Mary shouted to the skies, feeling as if nothing could stop her now.

* * *

There it is! I had a whole different chapter 3 written up, but I didn't think it went well, and just moved to fast. Thanks! Keep reviewing, reading and anything else really.

-The Missing X


	4. Chapter 4

Hi thank to to everyone who reviewed, and thanks for the support!

Replies:

matt70- Thanks :) I really hope you liked it.

ireadnarutoeveryday- Thanks, i hope you like this chapter coming up as much as the last.

Me- Thank you very much for your kind review it means a lot!

Sparrow'sArrow- I hope this is soon enough for you :)

PainInSilence- I'm glad she's going to Happy Harbor too! And don't worry, you do get to see what happens to Zatanna.

User- I'm glad you like this story, I am definitely going to finish this one.

Guest- I'm sorry that you think Mary-Aster is an unoriginal name, but I can't really change it now. Hope you like the story though!

Disclaimer: Don't own Young Justice or DC Universe.

-The Missing X

* * *

Currently Mary was being bored out of her mind. She hated the trip to get to places, cars, buses and yes, even planes.

Aunt Rocky was next to her fast asleep, head lolling to the side and a bit of drool coming out of her mouth.

The person on her right was an old grandma, knitting a scarf and constantly asking for her opinion. She had said nearly five hundred times on this trip that hot pink was not a colour your seventeen year old grandson would normally wear, but did the lady listen? No.

_"Hello to all our passengers on board, we are just arriving over Happy Harbor now, please fasten your seat as we prepare for landing."_ The pilots voice rang out from the speakers.

Finally, she thought, I can get off this bored-plane. Clicking her seat belt and double-checking Aunt Rocky's she lent back in her chair with nothing to do.

What would she do in Happy Harbor? She had seen pictures and that mountain off the docks looked really cool, she could go exploring there. Or she could try hiring a sailboat to go sailing on the waters, or she could see what the locals knew about the place. Apparently in the last fifteen years a team of heroes have set themselves there, it would be so cool to spot one.

Detective John Jones had met the infamous Batclan! She couldn't but hope to meet them as well, I mean, who doesn't want to meet the Batman?

As the plane lowered over Happy Harbor she felt a bit more excited with every meter going down.

"Aunt Rocky," she said shaking Raquel awake, "We're here."

"Hm?" the sleep-deprived woman asked, "Mary?"

Mary giggled at the sight of her aunt, "We're landing now, so you might want to wake up."

"On it, what do you want to do when we get there?"

"I want food," she pouted, "my stomach is eating itself right now, and tomorrow I want to visit the mountain. You know the one of the shore?" She said excitedly.

"I don't think we can go." Raquel trailed off; the mountain was destroyed a few years ago in the Reach Invasion. It still served as the team's headquarters after they decided to tunnel under it to make an underground cave, but the top, pre-existing mountain was just a rocky terrain.

"But why? It'll be like exploring the jungle!" She exclaimed as they plane descended on an angle.

"Mary, that mountain was destroyed like three years ago by a bomb. There's only rocky land there now."

Mary was shocked, she had always dreamed of climbing a mountain, and her one chance to do it when she was ten was gone.

"But, but can we just go visit it then? I just want to see it! Please Aunt Rocky." She pleaded pulling out her pouty-puppy face.

Raquel wavered; no one could deny this girl.

"Fine, but we're only there for three hours max. No more, or we don't have time to do anything else."

"Alright, but we get McDonalds for dinner." She agreed,

"Why McDonalds?" The woman asked,

"Because mum always complains how it isn't healthy enough, and it's bad for you, and how pasta is wonderful for you and is always good." She protested.

Raquel chuckled at her, she acted so much like her father it was kind of unnerving, "Alright, alright. I guess that's what you get when your mum is Italian."

"Mum's Italian?" Mary asked, wide eyes.

"Oh, no. I mean yes. I mean…" she trailed off trying to cover her mistake,

"Don't sweat it Aunt Rocky, I won't tell." She laughed off, "Besides now I know why mum's name is Zatanna, it's Italian!"

Raquel just looked stunned at her, how did she know.

"Before you ask, I heard you talking to mum when you thought I was in the shower." Mary said her features twisted into a humorous smirk.

"Uh," she groaned slumping back in her seat, "Your mum is going to kill me."

"We'll talk about this later." Raquel decided as the pilot announced their arrival in Happy Harbor.

* * *

_"Zee she knows." _Raquel said over their private line.

"What do you mean she knows? You said you wouldn't tell her!" She screamed back at her.

_"She heard us talking and I used your real name, but I don't think she knows about the other stuff."_

"Raquel when I get back I am so going to kill you." Zatanna sighed, looking at her reflection in the mirror, she was looking at her appearance after she had finally decided to put her old costume on.

_"Call in back-up." _Raquel suddenly demanded.

"What why?"

_"Because you won't be alone, seriously Zee, you don't have to do this by yourself."_

"I do, I don't want them to know about my whereabouts and this is a big problem, bigger than I thought."

_"I know this is a one time call-com, but I swear if I don't hear from you when we get back to New York I will tell someone." _She threatened.

"Raquel," Zatanna pleaded, "You can't, please. I'll be back, safe and sound."

_"Fine, a week. If I don't hear anything in a week I will tell someone, and you know that someone will be him." _

"No, if I disappear I have _enchantments _set up, you can't interfere, and they only work once."

_"Zee, will you tell her?" _

"I kind of have to now." She sighed.

_"I'll see you on Sunday, stay safe."_

"You too Raquel, take care of Mary." She said before the line closed up and she was alone in her world of magic again.

* * *

Mary's quite and shallow breaths could be heard in the room of Raquel's property in Happy Harbor.

A dream filled sleep about things she would forget easily in the morning, but Raquel was still in the living room going over a report for the League.

Kaldur wasn't due to be back until Monday, so Mary staying here was ok, and she was on leave for the League for 'a personal mission'.

Zatanna had told her to keep it a secret, but with Mary's apparent knowledge she couldn't do that for long. Mary was the most inquisitive child she had ever met, after her dad, noticing the smallest detail, something that would make everything make sense again.

She never relied on a theory, as theories are just a guess, she always wanted to find out for herself, and Raquel had no doubt she wouldn't do the same here.

It was going to be a long weekend.

* * *

"Dick you need to sleep." Barbara said, taking her boyfriends appearance in, he looked beaten down.

"No I need to figure this out." He said brushing her off.

"Dick, you need to sleep. You've been on this case for days, you haven't slept in days and you haven't been eating much. Go to sleep." The red head said not going to take no for an answer.

"No, this has been on going for days, we have to find out. Blue Valley is having major dimensional disturbance, not good, and we don't know anything about it. Dr Fate is off world so we can't call him in. And we're stretched thin." He argued back stubbornly, these days most of their conversations ended in a fight, someone getting frustrated or an angry make out session.

"Fine, I don't know why I bother!" She said throwing her hand up in the air and leaving the cave.

He listened to the quite steps of his lover gradually getting quieter until she was gone.

"Dude, you so need to sort yourself out." A voice called from the doorway Barbara had just walked out of.

"Wally! What are you doing here?" He asked excitedly, not seeing his friend since _the_ weekend.

"Just to check out this new cave! This is so cool, man why didn't we make our cave like this?" He said doing a quick look around.

"What are you doing here?" Dick sighed, there had to be a reason his best friend was popping in.

"Nothing, Artemis and M'gann are on a shopping trip, Conner and Christopher are having a dad and son day, leaving me to be alone."

"Wally it's ten at night."

"I know! You'd think they'd be back by now."

Nightwing thought for a minute before sighing, "Fine, if you're here help me on this case, I could really use your help."

"What case? You mean the dimensional disturbance?" Wally said perking up

"How did you know?"

"Meh, Conner told me you were strung tight this week trying to figure it out by yourself."

"Thanks, I really do need the help."

"It's what I'm here for." He grinned to his best friend.

* * *

Wally was monitoring the size of disturbance and location while Nightwing was putting solutions into different algorithms to try and find what was going on.

"Dude it just disappeared." Wally said trying to see if there was a glitch in the software.

"What do you mean just disappeared?" Nightwing said raising his head from his work.

"I mean the dimensional disturbance has literally just disappeared."

"But that's not possible, the only way someone could stop a disturbance that big would be if they were a homo magi or a Lord of Order. And we both know Dr Fate is off world and the only other homo magi we know of is-" He cut himself off, forcing him to take that thought out of his mind.

"Yeah, we know." Wally said sadly.

Nightwing's moment of sadness turned into an emotionless face. "We need to check it out, who's close to Blue Valley?"

"No one, it's the team's night off 'Wing." Wally said reminding him of the weekend.

"Oh, right. In that case let's go, you and me."

"Wait seriously?" He said doing a double take.

"Yes seriously, you're here and helping me and I need help with this."

"But I don't have a uniform." He tried, he really didn't feel like running, more eating.

"Just use your old one, you know the specifically tailored one that was just an incase thing."

"Fine, but if Bart sees you are so explaining it to him." He finally grumbled giving in.

"Just hurry up."

* * *

Arriving at the co-ordinates something wasn't right. The place was deserted, only a huge crater in the ground to signify something had been here or there had been a fight.

"Look for evidence, I want to know what happened here." Nightwing commanded, slipping into his leader mode.

"Aye aye captain." Wally said saluting him while in his stealth mode.

Running around the perimeter Wally couldn't find anything, no heat signatures, no evidence; it was like nothing had touched this place. Closing in to get a better look at the crater, while Nightwing was typing furiously on his wrist computer, he checked for any heat signatures here, nothing.

He walked into the crater to find one piece of evidence. A scrap of black material, not sure what this was but figuring that if her threw it away Nightwing would kill him he stuffed it in a plastic zip lock bag and kept searching.

"Found anything KF?" Nightwing called from his position above.

"One thing, material in the middle of the crater, not sure if it has any significance to it, but I figured we needed something."

"Great we can do a DNA scan on that, but keep looking I'm picking up a large amount of sorcery around here, but I don't know why." He said trailing off, eyebrows knitted together.

"Maybe we should head back, figure it out? The thing would be long gone by now and if we can put the pieces together fast enough then we'll be able to track it."

"Your right, let's just go back before midnight, Barbara will kill me for not telling her I was going out." Nightwing mumbled the last part.

"I pity you." Wally said giving his friend a sarcastic grin.

* * *

_Why would you travel to Central City?_ Zatanna thought following the creature from Blue Valley.

Right now she wasn't confident enough to strike it down now while there was a civilization up ahead.

Deciding it would be better to strike now than to strike later with people around she focused her engery, _"pots eht erutaerc, kcits ot eht dnuorg." _

The creature was stopped in it's path unable to move it's own feet.

She levitated down to stand beside it, taking a breath in she chanted, this was going to drain most of her energy, _"dnes mih kcab ot sih nwo noisnemid!"_

After she called out a bright light swallowed the creature and then it faded, to reveal nothing. She had done it, but she felt so drained.

Just as she was going to teleport herself back to her hotel room a voice called out,

"Zatanna?" Flash asked lenses wide, he had just woken up to the screams of Centrail City and decided to go after the source himself. He did in no way expect to find the magician here, single handedly defeating the creature.

_"kconk mih tuo." _She whispered, effectively rendering him unconscious, before chanting the spell so she could go and rest.

I hope you liked it! Review or PM me if you have any questions, don't be shy!

-The Missing X


	5. Chapter 5

Here is Chapter 5, I'm not sure how many chapters I should do this story in, so if can review or PM me a suggestion that would help a lot. :)

To everyone that reviewed:

Ana: I'm glad you like this story and the wait for this chapter is over!

Zatanna Carrlie: I will reunite Dick, Zatanna and their daughter soon...

ireadnarutoeveryday: Thanks for your review and I am glad you love the story!

PainInSilence: I hope this update is good enough!

Disclaimer: Don't own Young Justice or DC Universe.

-The Missing X

* * *

Saturday had arrived, and Mary could not be more excited. Already up, and dressed in her 'exploring' outfit she was literally flipping around the house. Raquel hadn't even gotten up yet and she was already debating with herself if she should just sneak out and go herself.

But that plan was easily put aside when a drunk looking Aunt Rocky came stumbling into the kitchen, wrapped up in a weird pink bathrobe.

"Morning." Mary chirped from her spot on the bench.

"Mary get off the bench." Her aunt said while yawning.

"Your no fun." The girl grumbled as she jumped down.

Raquel decided to ignore that comment and make her coffee, because she was going to need it.

"Aunt Rocky can we leave in ten minutes to the mountain?" Mary complained again, walking on the couch head like a beam.

"Mary," the woman groaned, "I just got up, can we wait at least half an hour?"

"Fine, but it's not my fault you went to bed so late last night it was morning." She grumbled after her spectacular dismount.

Raquel was shocked, hadn't she gone to bed long before herself?

"How did you know?"

"Well for one, the light kept annoying me last night, I couldn't get to sleep until you shut the thing off, and you were whispering really loud." Mary said in a matter-of-fact tone, which somehow got under her skin.

"W-what? Mary tell me you didn't stay up until the light was off last night." Raquel said rubbing her fingers against her temples, trying to relieve some of the stress.

Mary cocked her head to the side and looked down. "Technically it was this morning."

"I thought I told you to go to bed at ten! Not three in the morning!"

"Well it's your fault for keeping me up." She butted back crossing her arms.

"And what time did you get up?" Raquel asked straightening to her full height to look intimidating, but Mary would never tell her it was actually working.

"Um, the clock said seven."

"Four hours of sleep?" Raquel repeated emphasising every single word.

"Exactly, you can count!" She cheered trying to make the situation a bit lighter.

"Ha ha, don't get sassy with me girly, I am the queen of sass."

"And the queen of laziness." Mary mumbled under her breath, turning away.

"Half an hour and you better be ready, or I'm leaving without you." The hero said with narrowed eyes.

"You got it Rocky." Mary said as she exited the room, but not without leaving a cackle that had potential to strike fear into the horrid criminals of the world.

"I swear I will get a leash for you kid." She said shaking her head.

* * *

Dick was at his base of operations in Bludhaven, waiting for the DNA scan results to come up with something, someone.

He was still going over the readings from the area last night, a whole lot of sorcery and he didn't know who it was. The case was so frustrating he had locked himself in here since he had gotten back, much to Barbara's dismay.

The scan was complete and searching through different files to make a match, he impatiently waited for the result to come up.

"Dick?" Barbara's voice called out,

"Yeah Babs?" He called back turning away from the screen to face his girlfriend,

"Why don't we do something today? You've been in front of that screen since you got back last night, you need a break."

"Ok, Babs. But let me finish this first, the results for the DNA scan are nearly done.

Barbara took a quick look at the screen with the results printed out in big, bold letters, as if they were mocking her. Her hand flew over her mouth and her blue eyes went wide.

"Oh my god." She breathed out in complete shock.

"Babs you ok?" He said gripping her arms trying to get her to talk to him. But she couldn't find her voice so she shook her head and pointed to the screen.

Dick slowly turned around to find the screen mocking him, like it had done to Barbara, the bold letters like bright lights being imprinted in his mind. So many memories, so many mistakes, so much confusion.

_She_ couldn't of been there, that would have to imply he just missed her and he couldn't have just missed her. Luck was never on his side, the universe against him and death felt cheated by him, so why was this coming up now?

Was it to taunt him? Dangle what was lost in front of his face so cruelly to have it ripped away? Play with his emotions so that everyone got around him?

"Dick," Barbara said coming to his side, still looking at the screen, "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know. But I'm going to call Wally now." He said walking out of the room without a single glance back, and once again Barbara felt his slip from her grasp. _Just like before_, she bitterly thought.

* * *

Wally had returned home late last night, just before midnight to find an angry Artemis waiting for him.

He had gotten hardly any sleep and just lay in bed looking at the ceiling, thinking of the mission that had happened previously.

Now he was on the phone at ten in the morning with his best friend, talking about the findings from last night.

"That's not right." Wally said, his mouth full with a baloney sandwich.

"I know it's not right. It can't be." Dick said, obviously frustrated.

"But it says right there, and you found traces of sorcery last night right? It has to be." Wally said, moving to make another one of his precious baloney sandwiches.

"But it can't be. She's gone." He whispered as if his life depended on it.

"Are you absolutely sure about that?" The red head asked, balancing all the ingredients in his hands.

"No." Came the dejected reply.

"Tell someone, anyone! You can't go through this alone, she was all of our friends." Wally said immediately.

"I know, but Flash has called a meeting of the senior members of the team, I talked to him earlier, he said he had big news. Artemis is coming as well, you're invited too." The younger said, causing Wally to nearly drop everything.

"I'll be there, don't know how long it will take to get there though, cave or watch tower?"

"Cave, you might want to hurry, the meetings in half an hour."

"Aw man! Is that why Artemis left?" He groaned, when Artemis said she was going out and if he wanted to come with her he just said no, thinking she was going shopping.

"You really should pay more attention to your wife."

"Shut up Dick, I'll see ya later."

"Later."

Like that he dumped all of his food onto the bench and ran to Happy Harbor.

* * *

"This is so cool!" Mary squealed as they arrived onto the rubble that was the former operations of the team, now dubbed by the public as Young Justice.

"Don't go too far out, stay where I can see you and don't talk to strangers." Raquel listed off to the jumpy ten year old.

"Is there a particular reason I have to wear sunglasses?" Mary shot back, fiddling with the shades over her eyes.

"Yes, you look like your mother who is supposed to be missing." Raquel hissed in her ear so only she could hear.

"But mum never made me wear these," She complained.

"That's because New York doesn't have heroes or villains, but here we do." Raquel answered softly, trying to get the younger to understand why.

"Fine. I still can't figure out your link to this, how long have you known mum?" Mary said, eyebrows furrowing in thought and contemplation.

"Since you were six," The older answered automatically; Raquel had nothing to do with Zatanna the hero.

Mary shrugged it off, it seemed to make sense, "Ok, well, I'm going now."

"Stay close!" Raquel called after the figure that was getting smaller.

Mary rolled her eyes as she heard her aunt's comment, why were the adults in her life so protective?

She decided to look for a place to explore, like a crater or a secret cave or something. Walking around a piled of rocks that looked like they had been strategically placed their, no scratch that, they were placed their. Rocks do not just group together like that.

Climbing the pile to get to the top she started thinking in her head, what if this falls down? But no matter how much pressure she applied to the rocks they never move, shift or fall. Which out her suspicions up even higher.

Arriving to the top and sitting cross-legged there, she wondered how her mum was at that moment.

* * *

Zatanna woke up the next day at noon.

What did you expect? She hadn't used that much magic in forever, she felt drained and tired.

Not to mention Flash had seen her last night as she was making her getaway, she did know that knocking him out wasn't going to make him forget, sadly.

She had one day to get back to New York, and while travelling around she wore a glamour charm, no chances would be taken.

To everyone but herself she looked completely different, red hair, green eyes and fake circular glasses. She looked completely different. But she had never felt so alone, not after her father had become Dr Fate, not during the pregnancy and not while Mary went away for gym meets.

Sitting up in the hotel bed she focused her energy, maybe if she did this enough she could use magic more, using it in secret at home was a hassle, and Raquel said Mary knew so she didn't have to hide it anymore.

It was like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, she could use her natural ability freely now. And she wouldn't be scared of her daughter finding out.

This was a good day.

* * *

"Mary!" Raquel called out, having lost sight of the girl.

"Yes?" A voice replied from behind her, almost giving her a heart attack.

"Jesus, where the hell did you learn to sneak up on someone?" Raquel said clutching her heart.

"I don't know, I've just been good at it. That's not fair though, I wasn't trying to sneak up on you, your senses are just not good." She shrugged

Raquel breathed out slowly, calming herself, "Well please don't. Anyway, we need to get going for lunch. There's a diner downtown that's really good."

"Yes! Fatty food!" Mary exclaimed joyously,

Raquel rolled her eyes at the younger girls antics,

"Just don't expect it all the time, your mum said you have to be careful about what you eat because of gym."

"Not my fault they think you have to 'eat right' which means more carrots, and carrots are gross." Huffed Mary, thinking of the horrid things called carrots.

"Well it is your fault you made the national team." Raquel said turning to walk towards the town.

"Not my fault I have too much talent you can't deal with it. And it's _youth_ nationals, not nationals, I have to be older or something like that to get into the national team."

"Don't you do mathletes, martial arts and circus as well?" She asked surprised at how much work this girl did.

"Yes, but I make time for all of them." Mary said eyebrows shooting up mockingly,

"Girl, if I were you I would be dead with exhaustion."

"Well it's a good thing you're not me then."

Mary followed Raquel for a bit before a question came to mind, for no absolute reason.

"Hey why are you called Raquel?"

Raquel stopped and looked at the girl with a cocked eyebrow, "Because my mum thought it sounded nice, why?"

"Well, mum won't tell me why she called me Mary-Aster, I know she said Sindella was her mum's name, but I don't know why it's Mary-Aster." She said looking down,

"Well, maybe it was because she thought it sounded pretty."

"Yeah right, I bet it has something to do with my dad."

Raquel sighed, no matter how much she wanted to, she made a promise to Zee, she couldn't tell her about her dad.

"Mary, lets just go ok?"

"Fine, lead the way."

* * *

"I'm guessing you like the food here?" Raquel asked, looking at how much food Mary had ordered.

"Are you kidding me?" Mary said stuffing her mouth with more fries, "This is the best place EVER!"

"Glad you like it," Raquel said eating her burger.

"I'm so glad my coach is in New York. She would so kill me."

"Sounds intense."

"It is, and the hours going into it are just wow. Not really fun." She said finishing her fries.

"Then why do you do it?" Raquel asked, why would you put yourself through all that?

"Because no matter what I have to do or end up doing, I love it. I love feeling on top of the world, it's just you and your skills. Plus people think it's cool when you can flip."

Raquel rolled her eyes at that statement, "Sounds deep."

"It's not like swimming or anything, it's on ground." She said defending her profession

"Got it kiddo, not like swimming, any reason for the martial arts you do?"

"I don't know, I guess I just do it." She shrugged, moving onto her burger.

"Fine, circus? Your mum has expressed her opinion about you doing that activity."

Mary breathed in sadly, rolling her eyes at the mention of her mother's disagreement about the circus,

"Yeah I know, dangerous, unnecessary, waste of time. She gives me that talk _every_ single time, but I don't know I just feel better during circus, more alive, free, connected. I don't know what it is, but it's nice. Like flying."

"Ok Mary, don't need to get sentimental on me now."

"What's sentimental?"

Raquel could easily forget how old Mary actually was, she always seemed so much older and mature, apart from the occasional prank,

"Uh, it's when someone gets sappy or lovey-dovey I guess."

"Gross, that sounds yuck, can't you see I'm eating now?"

Raquel chuckled, "Just eat and we can got o the mall."

"Fine, but this may take a while."

* * *

Arriving to the cave through the zeta tubes, he immediately rushed to the new meeting room.

"What am I here for?" He immediately asked, looking at the heroes in the room.

"Wally if you could take a seat." Black Canary said pointing to the spare seat next to Kaldur, formerly Aqualad, now Tempest.

"Hey Kal, what are you doing here?"

"I have been called here, such as you have been."

"All good, Nightwing said you had something to say Uncle B?"

"Ah right." Flash said getting out of his chair, "Some of you might have heard the reports on the news, of a 'rude-awakening' for Central City last night. What really happened was there was a creature, didn't look like it came from Earth, so it must have been that dimensional disturbance."

"I think I have something on that." Nightwing said standing up, "Last night me and Wally went to Blue Valley, the original source of the disturbance, and we found one piece of evidence. Not sure if it can help much but it matches. A piece of fabric, and readings of sorcery."

"What does a piece of fabric have to do with the issue at hand?" M'gann asked, looking up.

"What the piece of fabric was covered in was DNA."

"Who's?" Tempest asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

"Zatanna's." Nightwing answered emotionlessly.

Gasps and shock rang out through the room,

"Impossible,"

"No way!"

"Are you kidding me?"

"I think you're onto something Nightwing," Flash said taking over,

"I have video footage from last night, taken from the camera Bats installed on everyone's uniform in the League." He finished smirking at Batman, who was glad that someone finally saw use in the cameras.

Everyone turned to the holo-screen for the video to start playing.

_The creature crying out, a woman facing away from the camera chanted something crossing her fingers over and then a bright light consumed the beast. When the light was gone so was the beast. The woman's figure immediately slumped tiredly, turning around to face the camera they were met with the face of Zatanna._

_"Zatanna?" Flash said,_

_She looked shocked to be caught and as soon as he said it she said quietly, _

_"kconk mih tuo." Before she left through a portal. _

The video finished, paused on the retreating figure of their old friend.

"Is that?" Artemis said with shock.

"Yes." Flash answered with sympathy.

"What do we do?" The former archer said standing up.

"We find her."

* * *

There it is, please review so I know if I'm doing something right, or if something is not quite right!

Thank you for reading and until next time!

-The Missing X


	6. Chapter 6

Hi! Thank you t the people who have read the whole thing, although it's not much, thank you! It's really awesome to log on and see that more people have read your story, and I am really glad that people are reading it. :)

Replies to Reviews:

PuppyProngs: I don't know, will he? You'll just have to keep reading to find out...

ireadnarutoeverday: I'm glad you like that he appears more, he is also one of my favourite characters!

PainInSilence: Hahaha, thanks for your review, it really made my day! :)

Guest: Thank you for loving the story! I hope this update is good enough for you!

Me: I love how you think it's asterous! I hope that she will meet the team too!

**Disclaimer: Don't own Young Justice or DC Universe.**

-The Missing X

* * *

Monday. No one liked them. Not one person in this planet. But what did they make Mondays for?

School.

She hated school, it was the one place she felt constantly cramped, rejected, teased and outcasted.

Yes, to her school she was the freak.

The awkward one who would spend every lunch time in the gym training instead of playing outside, the intelligent one who could out wit any teacher with quick remarks, the lonely one who had no friends because they thought she was up tight and weird.

Lastly she was the bully bag, a walking target for people who want to make themselves feel better. Punches, hits, pokes, she could take.

But she was never good at receiving verbal abuse, the comments on her mum, the fact that she doesn't have a dad, the fact she's in mathletes and gets rejected by those nerds.

It was the 'normal' for her now, years of practice and closing in on herself she could put a mask on and act, to keep everyone out, to keep everyone from finding out what she really thought about.

Sitting in class she began to doodle, she wasn't good at art, but doodling wasn't a refined technique, it wasn't supposed to be perfected until you could repeat a few times again.

Her doodles covered her books, the covers the pages, anywhere. Her teachers had tried to complain about it but did she care? No.

"Mary-Aster!" A sickly sweet voice from the back called,

_Ignore it Mary it'll go away. _She thought to herself.

"Mary-Aster it's rude to ignore people." The voice continued on, attracting different peoples attention.

_Don't give her the satisfaction, just ignore. _She repeated in her head.

"Mary-Aster, maybe you had a fight with mummy? You poor baby, she yell at you for being you?" The voice of the devil continued on,

Mary was slightly shaking now, attempting to keep her emotions locked in, but she knew she was failing miserably.

"Mary-Aster, didn't daddy ever teach you how to be polite?" Jen said, heels clicking on the floor while she walked up to lean on Mary's chair.

But she couldn't do anything but sit there and take the cold words being dished out to her,

"Oh wait," she whispered, "you don't have a dad do you?"

_Just keep swimming, just keep swimming. Just keep sw-_

"Because he _left_ you, he didn't _want_ you, he didn't _love_ you enough to stay. How do yo-"

Jen was suddenly on the ground, clutching her face and crying. Why?

Because Mary had just punched her in a moment of weakness. But she couldn't bring herself to think for the crying girl, she could only think of the years of torment she had put her under, every word ringing in her ears.

"Mary!" A loud booming voice commanded, _great the cavalry's come_.

Turning around slowly, fist down by her side, she faced the teacher. The teacher who was looking at her like a child, god she was so tired of everyone treating her less because she was younger.

"Principle's office now, and tell her it's because you punched someone in the face." The teacher basically screeched at her.

Walking out of the room and slamming the door with a satisfying _thunk_ she made her way down the twisted hallways to the principle's office.

Knocking on the door and waiting for a reply she was answered with the door sliding open to reveal the old prune that was the receptionist.

"Mary, darling what are you doing here?" The receptionist asked politely, _at least she knew my name, _Mary thought sarcastically.

"I was sent to talk to Principle Rosin." Mary said with little interest, she was way past over school.

"Ok dear, go in now."

Nodding her head at the receptionist she opened the door and slammed it behind her.

"Mary!" The principle said, adjusting her glasses from reading, "What brings you to my office?"

"I was sent here." Mary said in a monotone.

"Aha, what was it, good grades, excellent behaviour?" The principle said, not aware how wrong she was.

Mary took a seat down in the chair across the desk and leaned back,

"No actually, I punched someone." Mary said with a dead straight face.

The look of shock on the elders face was so substantial that it looked like it was going to be there for a long time after.

"You punched someone?" Principle Rosin exclaimed.

Mary just nodded, trying to hide a smirk.

"This is a serious accusation Mary, why would you, of all people, punch someone?" She said sitting straighter, looking down on Mary.

"Because Jen was being a pain," Mary said nonchalantly.

"Because she was being a pain?" The principle repeated seriously.

Mary just nodded and flashed her a smile, leaning back more in her chair.

"Mary, punching someone is serious, it calls for disciplinary action to be given, so unless you have a good reason for punching someone, no less Jen, you will be suspended."

"Is it a good reason enough that she keeps bringing my family into every comment she makes of me?" Mary quipped back, with an eyebrow raised.

"Even so, you should not have to resort to physical violence, I must call your mum to come and pick you up. Mary, you are suspended for a week and will write Jen an apology letter." The principle said bringing out the phone and note pad.

Mary thought this was totally unfair, not the suspension, but the apology letter. Why should she have to write 'I'm sorry' to someone who has been tormenting her for who knows how long? It wasn't like they were going to be best friends after she said 'I'm sorry' and didn't meant it.

"Principle Rosin!" Mary exclaimed standing up, "That is so unfair!"

"Hush now, you must take consequences for your actions." The principle said, holding up a finger to silence her.

Mary sunk back down on the seat with closed eyes, her mum would not be proud of her.

* * *

"Any leads?" Rocket asked, arriving at the cave to work on the seniors case.

"Nothing, it's like she came back from the dead that night and died again." Artemis said leaning back in her chair.

"Are you sure we've checked everything?" Kaldur prods again; anything is everything.

"Guys, remember that she's a magician. If she doesn't want to be found, she doesn't want to be found. Our best guess of tracking her is Dr Fate, or getting Dr Fate to let Zatara go for one second to help find her." Wally reasoned, once again showing his maturity.

"Right, let's just go over our leads again, we have to try until we can't." Nightwing said tiredly, he had been working on this case day in day out for three days straight.

"Don't worry," Miss Martian said placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, "we'll find her, we'll find her and bring her back."

"I hope your right." Nightwing sighed, running a gloved hand through his black hair.

"I have to go guys," Rocket said, "I won't be back until next week, and I son't have my com, so no missions for me. I've got a business thing. Good luck!" She said walking towards the zeta tube.

"Bye!" everyone chorused after the figure that had just been engulfed in the light.

One less persons help.

* * *

Principle Rosin hung up the phone, gruffly and turned to look at Mary, before speaking,

"Mary, your mother isn't answering her home or cell phone, and her workplace says she didn't arrive to work today. Do you know where she may be?"

Didn't go to work? Something wasn't right, her mum was a workaholic, she worked every single day, from opening hour to closing time.

"I can walk home, it's just two blocks down." Mary said shrugging it off.

"Are you sure? We could always send a teacher with you to make sure you do get home." The principle offered,

"Principle Rosin, I can take care of myself, if I get in trouble I've got my cellphone, and I'll run straight back to school."

The principle sighed, "Fine, but if something happens report to the police or school."

"You got it boss, see you in a week!" Mary exclaimed already halfway out the door with her stuff.

Running down the maze of halls she couldn't help but get a sick feeling in her stomach. This was seriously wrong.

Boy she didn't know how right she was.

* * *

Mary rushed up the stairs to get to their apartment, nearly out of breath from sprinting all the way home she stumbled on the last step and fell onto her face at the top of the stairs.

Looking up to her door she was put on edge, the door was open, not fully open, but enough to know that someone had been in there.

Getting up and cautiously walking over, she pushed the door open a bit more and walked inside.

"Mum?" She called out looking around, everything seemed in place, nothing out of line, nothing bad and nothing to signal anything had happened.

But she didn't get a reply, not one breath could be heard.

It was so quiet Mary could hear her heartbeat drumming in her ears, feel her pulse in her wrist and taste the salt on her tongue.

"Mum?" She called out again; she was staring to get scared, and fast. Moving further into the house she stepped cautiously,

"Mum?"

"Mum, if this is a prank it's not funny." She tried, her voice shaking slightly.

Turning into the last room of the small apartment she hoped with all her heart that her mum was just sleeping, or hiding from her, she didn't want to think about what could have happened.

Nothing, absolutely nothing. She wasn't at home, she wasn't at work and she wasn't answering her phone, Mary didn't have a choice now, she would call the police.

Walking over to the phone with shaky hands she nearly dialed the emergency number until a stream of light broke through the window, glistening around the room, nothing spectacular, but it made her see the shiny object on the bed.

A necklace, silver chain that looked polished to perfection, the gold clasp that stood out so awkwardly, but so perfectly, and the heart shaped pendant attached to the chain, with a 'R' carved into it professionally.

It wasn't the fact that the beautiful necklace had looked like it had been thrown on the bed, it was the fact that it was on the bed that surprised Mary, and made her put the phone down.

Looking at it she frowned, this was the exact same necklace that her mum _always_ wore, and when she said _always_ she mean _always._ To work, around the house, picking her up, everywhere. So what was it doing here?

Reaching a hand out to pick it up she propped herself up on the bed with a knee and leant over to grab it.

But as soon as her flesh came into contact with the silver a flash consumed her in a warm, white light, and she felt herself loosen up and relax.

"Mary," her mum's voice came from behind her,

"Mum?" She exclaimed spinning around so fast she nearly lost balance.

But as soon as she saw the figure of her mum she noticed something wasn't right. Oh right, being translucent is completely normal.

"Mary," the figure repeated, "If you have found my locket and this is playing to you then I have been taken. Darling, this is only the beginning of you fully understanding who I am, who I _truly _ name is Zatanna Zatara; I was seventeen years old when I ran away from my friends, my family.

I am a homo magi, a very uncommon gene passed onto me through my parents, who were both homo magi's as well. But you aren't one; you take after your father. I cannot explain very much through this message, as I would rather in person.

But if they have found me, they could be looking for you. I want you to take my necklace and wear it everywhere with you, the alleyway next to the Italian restaurant we always go to has a broken telephone box inside. I want you to go there immediately and scan the necklace against the screen inside, it will take you to the people I trust the most, trust them as well, but be cautious.

I will see you soon Mary, go and be safe. And don't forget I love you to the moon and back." And with a gentle breeze of leaves and flowers flowing in the wind, she was gone, and Mary was back on her mum's bed.

She couldn't move for minutes, eyes wide, tears frozen in her eyes and her brain whirling around. There it was, her worst fear recognised, her mum, the only family she really had, had been the words from her mum she ran out of the house, necklace in her fist.

Down the stairs, down the street, sprinting the fastest she's ever run in her life, wind blowing the tears out of her eyes, streaming down her cheeks as she ran. People walking on the paths giving her dirty looks, but she didn't care she just wanted to get her mum back.

Running down the street to the restaurant she turned sharply into the ally, dark, gloomy, unsettling and downright scary. She stopped at the wall and leant against it, letting her tears fall freely, shoulders heaving violently at every sob she made, she felt empty, broken, scared, angry, confused and she didn't know what she would do.

Calming herself she wiped the tears out of her eyes and moved further into the alley, away from the bright light of the nice street, away from what she's known, away from her home. Taking slow but steady steps towards the telephone box she pulled on the door, making the hinges crank with obvious abandonment, but with a little more effort she got the door open.

Looking around she didn't see any telephone, cords, or even a sign. But she did see the panel, uncurling her fist she dangled the heart in front of the screen, automatically turning it on, a blue holographic screen appeared and a light scanned her, then she felt like a feather, but she could still feel the necklace in her grasp.

After a short second of weightlessness her whole world came crashing down...

* * *

Oooo! I'm excited now! We're getting to the good stuff...

Guys please review so I know I'm doing this right and not making a giant poof ball and so I can make this story better and improve, as harsh criticism can be helpful!

Until next time!

-The Missing X


	7. Chapter 7

Here is Chapter 7!

I just want to take this spot, for people who actually read this, to thank everyone who has kept reading this story because I honestly didn't think it would get this far!

Replies to Reviews:

Maddie: Thank you so much! Your review is honestly the nicest comment EVER! I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and I will definitely finish, just for you! 3

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Sparrow'sArrows: Hugs and Kisses to you too! Hope you like this update! :)

Soloc Elbisivni: That you for your pointers they will help me become a better writer! :)

**Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice or DC Universe.**

-The Missing X

* * *

Nerve racking would be the word to describe her emotions right now. On her arrival into the place her mum had sent her, she had been found by none other than Nightwing, the very hero she had spent a week researching.

But before she could get a word out to explain her situation, her vision was cut off, and so was her consciousness. Blacked out completely and unable to defend herself against some force penetrating her mind she fought back with all her will, but to no avail.

Every memory had been ripped out of hiding and played, like a movie in the cinema. She relived every up and down, every comment, every bully, every achievement, every emotionally scarring memory, everything, was taken for her.

She couldn't defend herself, she was a helpless ten year old in this situation, and she hated it. She didn't have control on what was going on in _her _mind, she didn't have control over what memories were taken from _her, _and se had no control over when to stop the criminal from breaking into _her_ mind.

Then it was like floating among the clouds, flying with the birds, flowing in the wind and walking on air. Everything she had ever dreamed of, but she couldn't help but feel something wasn't right, so when she had pinched herself hard enough and woken up, she was shocked to find herself in a completely whitewashed cell.

Picking herself up she found she was still in her uniform, with the cardigan seams fraying a bit more than the last time she had checked, hair still in the ponytail. Surveying the room she could see it the walls were tiled, and the large mirror in the middle of one room was obviously a one way glass, used for monitoring interviews and prisoners, but the door was what intrigued her the most. It was a plain looking door with an ordinary lock. How stupid were they to put a padlock on a cell door? Honestly, people needed to understand that just because someone looked small and innocent didn't mean that their mum had a contingency plan for everything, _absolutely everything._

She had been taught to escape handcuffs using her pinky, untie ropes with her teeth, and pick a lock.

She looked to the mirror, knowing that someone would be behind the wall, rolled her eyes and gave them her best death glare. Mary then walked over to the door and took the lock in her hands, checking that it was in fact locked; she pulled out a bobby pin from her hair and proceeded to pick the lock easily.

Walking out and shutting the door again she waited for someone to come and get her. No way was she having her head invaded again.

Just as she thought, the door next to her cell's door opened and out came a green lady, in a superhero costume. She looked like Martian Manhunter, who had hair and eyebrows. Miss Martian just stared at her with a frown, like she was thinking about something very important. Mary narrowed her midnight blue eyes to challenge the Martian's stare. Somehow she was able to work her magic because the green skinned woman looked away awkwardly.

"Batman wants to talk to you." She curtly said,

"Great, is this an interview to be the next Robin?" Mary replied sarcastically, "I don't even know who you are, what makes you think I'm going to trust you?"

"The fact that you invaded our base, and we don't know who you are." A voice stonily said from behind, she turned her head back to find an emotionless Nightwing walking towards the green lady.

"Batman's waiting." Miss Martian said quickly before anything escalated beyond their control.

"Fine, but I want food." Mary said stubbornly following the floating Martian, but not before giving Nightwing a glare over her shoulder.

But she had no idea what power her glare held.

* * *

Inside the interrogation room it was cold, the cement walls looked damp and overall the place looked like a jail cell, not that she had been inside one. The walls were gray, stains visible in the dim light, one single light hanging from the ceiling. Guess it's true what they say, she thought, he really is the Dark Knight.

"Who are you?" He asked as soon as the door closed, and was locked.

Deciding not to tick off the man with various weapons she replied, "Mary."

"Last name." He said gruffly,

"Arataz." She said on the same tone as he spoke on.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

She paused, she had sworn she had heard that voice before, and even then the build looked familiar. Honing her mind on specific things she searched through memories like a filing cabinet. Build…voice…familiar…pitch…tone…secret…but connecting the dots...

She had something,

"Wayne." She whispered out to herself, eyes narrowed in concentration, that was the closest connection she had gotten, but it didn't make sense, unless the Batman was the billionaire, or she was just off.

"Excuse me?" Batman said giving her a full on glare, one that was made to make common criminals cry for their mothers.

But Mary decided to ignore this and continue on her tangent of thought, whispering under her breath she squeezed her eyes shut and kept thinking out loud.

"Same build… tone…voice pitch…_if_ Wayne's Batman… means…Nightwing means Grayson… dead Robin is Todd…Red Robin has to be Drake…Robin now is smaller… dark hair… connect it...family…Wayne… son…Damian."

"Stop." Nightwing called out, entering the interrogation room to help his adoptive father. Slamming the door after him, making the loud sound echo of the walls, hurting her ears slightly.

"Sorry what?" Mary said louder, snapping out of her thoughts.

"What did you just say?" Batman said menacingly, but in reality he was genuinely curious about Mary.

"What do you mean?" Mary asked confused for a second.

"You went off about Wayne and voice pitch." Batman answered,

"Oh right," Mary said sheepishly, "Sorry about that, I get carried away sometimes."

"But what did you think of?" Batman pressed,

"Just from your voice and pitch that you sound like Bruce Wayne, you both have the same build, like your jaw line is similar. But if your Wayne that makes Nightwing, first Robin, Dick Grayson the former circus acrobat. The second Robin, who died, Jason Todd, the street kid Wayne adopted, Red Robin, formerly Robin Tim Drake, a family friend who you adopted after he became orphaned, although that may not fit, and the current Robin, Damian Wayne, who is Bruce Wayne's biological son, but it's only theory." Mary finished, mainly going over facts for her sake.

"We need to discuss something, Mary, Miss Martian will take you to the kitchen. We'll be a while." Batman said, void of emotion.

She nodded and walked out. Leaving the two heroes wondering what in the world to do.

* * *

It had been a few minutes since Mary had left the interrogation room, both Nightwing and Batman had immediately turned on the security cameras in the kitchen to see if she was trouble. But all they saw was a small girl sitting on the chair with her legs swinging. She wasn't trouble, but she was.

"How?" Nightwing asked relaying what he had been monitoring from the other side of the glass,

"I don't know, she either knew before to see our reactions or she is _extremely _inquisitive." Batman sighed, leaning back his chair and crossing his arms.

"She looks exactly like her." The younger man whispered sadly,

"I know, they may be related." Batman said raising an eyebrow underneath the cowl.

"You'd think she would have told us if she had a relative other than her dad?" Nightwing shot back,

"She's been missing for eleven years, we may not even know her anymore." Batman said in full seriousness.

"I know, but it's just weird." Nightwing concluded, shutting off that particular path before it turned into a windy road. After a long silence the man of bats finally spoke up,

"We still don't know why she's come here." Batman said, sensing Nightwing's tenseness.

"I know, I cut off an important investigation. But how did she figure that out so fast, and she said herself it was only a theory?"

"We'll have to call her back in."

* * *

The room was silent, the only sound echoing off the walls were the crunching of peanuts in Mary's mouth, she hadn't had food since interval and she was starving.

"Miss Martian?" Mary said testing out the name on her tongue, leaning over the table towards the green skinned girl.

"Yes?" Miss Martian replied coming back out of her trance.

"What do you know about Zatanna?" Mary asked, voice small, feeling a tad awkward having to talk about her mum like she didn't know her.

"Where is this coming from?" M'gann asked, she found herself becoming increasingly uncomfortable talking about her old friend to a girl who like she could be a twin.

"I read about her, just wanted to get your opinion, you know, since you might have known her." Mary fluffed off with a shrug of her shoulder.

"Well," Miss Martian said with a frown on her face, remembering all the good memories, and the pain of loss when she disappeared.

"Zatanna was one of my first ever friends arriving on earth, and she was like a sister. Superboy and I used to go on double dates with her and her boyfriend. Then she disappeared, we looked for so many years, but then we just gave up. Wherever she was we wanted her to be happy, even if she was dead. You look a lot like her, actually, just your eyes and hair. She had straight hair and crystal blue eyes."

Mary looked away awkwardly, jaw locked in position not allowing her to talk,

"I just," The younger girl finally said, "I've been told I look like her, like a lot. But I also look like my mum, it's must be weird genetics then."

"You do, but do you know her?" M'gann asked curiously, while trying to get into the girls head without alerting her to the intrusion.

"I need your help about that actually." Mary admitted sheepishly, she had to tell someone why and how she was here. And the more seconds that ticked by it was another second she didn't have her mum.

"Oh?" Miss Martian cooed softly, cocking her head to the side.

"Um, do you have a way of tracking magic users?" She said biting her lip, bringing out the puppy dog face that had gotten her out of trouble for so many years.

"We don't at the moment, but even if we did now you would have to have an extremely good reason for tracking one down."

"Um, it's bec-"

"Mary, Batman will continue the interrogation." Nightwing said interrupting Mary's tell-all session with the martian.

"Sorry Miss Martian, but Batman wants to interrogate a ten year old girl." Mary said politely, so innocently that M'gann could help but giggle a little.

* * *

"Full name." Batman said as soon as she entered the room.

Mary rolled her eyes and sat down across from him, leaning on the table with a smile on her face.

"Mary Arataz." She answered.

"_Full _name." He repeated again, putting an emphasis on the full.

"Mary-Aster Sindella Arataz." She grudgingly replied, nothing could get away from the Dark Knight.

"You're related to Zatanna." He said, not a question but a statement.

"Congratulations what was it that tipped you off, the face, the name, or the fact that my last name is Zatara switched around?" Mary said clapping slowly and sarcastically; she couldn't help it if she had a different humor to everyone else.

"You're middle name, Sindella, is Zatanna's mum's name." He replied, ignoring the annoyed vibes that flowed off her, "But your first name?"

"Mary-Aster." She said, repeating it for the second time,

"How did you get Mary-Aster?" Batman asked leaning forward, for once playing good cop.

"Don't know how mum got Mary, but she said aster was an old friends favourite flowers, although she never talks about her past." Mary said nonchalantly.

"Do you have a father?" Batman asked, finally this was getting somewhere, thought Nightwing on the other side of the glass, monitoring the conversation.

Mary froze up at the question, eyes hardening, gaining a steel-like form, jaw locked and tensed, and her hands curled up into fists, her knuckles going white from the amount of pressure she was putting on. Jen's words flowing through her mind like a tidal wave, _unloved, freak, goody-good, creep, ugly..._

"No." She finally replied, a snarl about to escape her lips,

"Do you know who he is?" Batman pressed on, obviously curious at the reaction she was giving.

"No." She stonily asked, "What does my heritage have anything to do with this?" She snapped, having a look Nightwing thought no ten year old should have.

"I have a hunch on who your father is, but it's only a theory." Batman said with a smirk.

"I don't have time for this. He hasn't been there my whole life, and there is no reason I don't need him now." She said looking away, she just wanted to go home.

"How did you do it before?" Batman asked now, off topic, but he was curious.

"Do what?" She said getting really annoyed at him.

"Find out who I was." He said, he was taking a huge risk in trusting this girl, but if his hunch was right she would know him anyway.

"You mean I was right?" She asked shocked, her brain slowly making the connection between Bruce Wayne and Batman.

"How did you do it?" He asked again.

Mary looked at him weirdly before answering slowly,

"We were given an assignment in Social Studies, rich and famous people, I got Bruce Wayne and did a two month study and overlook. Interviews, work, charity, red carpets, family, backstory, basically everything. When I heard you speak, as Batman, the pitch of voice was the same, then I went over facts, facial features, build, your jaw line is the same, so is your build, but you can't really hide that one. Then I looked at the partners the Batman has had and the adopted children Bruce Wayne has had, the number matches and so do the dates." She said, pursing her lips together.

"Do you mind if I get a blood sample? For DNA purposes and clarifying your identity." He amended, he still wanted to see if he was right.

"Sure, but I didn't just drop in here for no reason." Mary said, turning serious, shifting in her seat to make herself look taller, didn't really work.

"Why are you here then?" Batman asked, now getting to the main point.

"Mum sent me here, well her figure did, I'm guessing it's magic. But anyway, mum-the figure- said to scan the necklace on a screen in a broken phone box, and to trust the people that are there. But she-the figure- said the whole reason I was being sent here was because she was taken or something and I needed to be safe. So do you have some way of tracking a homo magi?" She asked for the second time that day, this time without interruptions.

Batman was silent for a few seconds, having no clue on what to say to Mary, Nightwing's eyes were wide behind his mask, the lenses adjusting to the position showing his surprise and shock on the outside as well.

But Batman just walked over to her and pulled a needle out to take the blood sample from her, she winced when the needle broke through her skin, but relaxed when she realized he was just taking blood.

"You are free to go now, we will look in on Zatanna. Nightwing will show you to a room at the cave and I would appreciate it if you stayed there until you are called by either myself or Nightwing." Batman said staring down at Mary, who now had a scowl on her face.

* * *

Zatanna woke up in a strange place surrounded by forest. Green consumed her sight as the light came streaming down from above. The soft chime of the leaves flowing through the wind and the chirping of the birds made her calm down somewhat, but she couldn't help the questions swirling around her head.

How did she get here? Why was she here? And why in the world was she dressed like Snow White? She pulled herself up to inspect her new costume further.

"Welcome to the Enchanted Forest princess." A loud voice boomed out through the trees.

"Who's there?" She cried out circling around her position on the grass.

"Well Zatanna Zatara, you are now in a world of Fantasy. This is my kingdom and you are the hunted."

_"Tropelet ot wen kroy" _Zatanna chanted, trying to get herself out of wherever she was.

"Ah, ah, ah." The voice mocked, "You can't escape until you've seen the story through."

"What do you mean 'see the whole story through'?" Zatanna asked, getting more worried by the second.

"My darling," the voice cooed, "welcome to the world of Snow White, and guess who you are in this."

"Snow White." Zatanna deadpanned,

"Correct, and no magic can help you here. Everything will be seen to the _end_."

There it is... Leave a review and suggestions, until next time!

-The Missing X


	8. Chapter 8

Guys! Thanks so much for your awesome feedback on this story, it's really great and makes me want to write more chapters for you all!

Replies to Reviews:

Zatanna Carrile: Thanks for you constant support! I wonder how he will break the news to Dick as well... :)

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Wow... I'm really happy with all the smiley faces, seriously thanks so much for your support for those who keep reading this and reviewing, means heaps.

Hope you like this chapter! Sorry it's kind of short...

-The Missing X

* * *

Zatanna had spent the night in the forest, scared for her life, thinking of her daughter and trying to find away out of this nightmare fantasy. No spell she tried worked, and she couldn't help but feel extremely small being surrounded by the never-ending forest. Last night had been one of the worst in ten years. Nightmares consumed her mind, the wind chilling, making it even colder, and the noises of the animals at night constantly kept her on edge.

But now, true to the story of Snow White, she had found a cottage in the middle of the woods. But this time, she didn't have animal friends, she was all alone, she only had herself and she might never get out of here.

But if this was the story of Snow White then who was her prince charming? She hadn't been in a relationship for eleven years, and even if she had a certain person in mind, he wouldn't be able to help her, he had Barbara now, and she still had no one.

She decided if there was no one coming to save her, she would find her own way out.

And she prayed to whoever was watching over her, that her opportunity would come fast.

* * *

Batman was scanning the DNA sample he had acquired from Mary, waiting for the results to come up to see if his theory was correct.

"Master Bruce," Alfred called carrying a cup of tea to the desk, "Why are you testing this poor girl's DNA? If she isn't involved in an underground drug dealer's business then you have no reason to be testing for this." He quipped sarcastically.

"She looks like Zatanna." Bruce replied looking down at the laser scanning the cells of blood, as if they held the answer to solving world peace.

"Ah, so you are doing this as a favor to Master Dick?" He said in his usual posh voice.

"No, she looks a bit like Dick too." He frowned, thinking of various features, she mainly looked like her mum, but her personality and manner were very close to Dick's.

"So you believe this girl his Master Dick's child whom he has no idea about." Alfred sighed, mixing the sugar into his own tea.

"Her first name is Mary." Bruce said like it was the key to many doorways.

"Mary? As in Mary Grayson?" Alfred said with disbelief,

"Exactly, what's more is her full first name is Mary-Aster."

"Is this about the girl at the cave who resembles Grayson's love?" Damian said barging into the conversation.

"Past love Damian." Bruce reprimanded, thinking of his female protégé Batgirl, otherwise known as Barbara Gordon.

But Damian didn't buy it, and he knew his father didn't either, "No, he looks pained whenever the magician is mentioned, she may not be part of his life but he never stopped loving her." Damian deadpanned looking at the laser which was still scanning the blood.

It wasn't like it wasn't true. Dick had told himself that after all these years he had gotten over her, but everyone around him knew it wasn't true. People who knew him well definitely knew Dick was far from over Zatanna. In fact the only tell now was the fact that every year he grabbed out the old evidence on the case and reviewed it every single year on the date of her disappearance.

"You're right, but we've all got to move on." Bruce sighed, trying to get his son to understand the situation.

"Then am I right in assuming that this child is Zatanna's daughter?" Damian questioned again, he had been hacking into the security camera's again, and happened to get the live feed of the interrogation. It wasn't his fault that the security on the security camera's were absolutely horrible.

"Yes, but she doesn't know who her dad is, I think Zatanna knows though." Bruce admitted, waiting for the processed DNA to come up with a result.

"Tt. Of course she knows. It is her child. But does the father know?" He asked again, after all that Grayson has done for him and this family they owed him everything.

Bruce sighed, "No."

"Shouldn't we tell him, and the girl?" The Robin sighed playing with the tip of his bird-a-rang.

All while this was going on, Alfred was in the background making some last minute adjustments, listening with his superb hearing to the conversation occurring.

"Master Bruce, if you would turn your attention to the screen, it would show you the results of the frivolous conversation you and Master Damian are having." Alfred said with wariness, if they would just pay attention to the bigger things.

Both Bruce and Damian's heads turned to the screen to find the results, with file pictures and DNA samples; Mary was in fact Zatanna's daughter. What was more that they had found her father, their very own, Dick Grayson.

"Grayson won't be pleased." Damian sassed with a grim look, Grayson certainly will not be the happiest.

"No, he won't" Bruce admitted, he would be happy he had a daughter, Dick always valued family, but he wouldn't be so happy that his daughter, his own flesh and blood, was kept from him for her whole life.

"Shall we tell him?" Damian asked, putting the mask on to get ready to go to the cave, knowing the answer before his father had said it.

"Let's go." Batman said, slipping back into the mask and role of the Dark Knight.

* * *

Mary was sitting in her allocated room in the cave, inspecting her mum's necklace. She had no idea why this was so important to her mum, or why she had worn it all the time, never taking it off. She just didn't see a point in wearing jewellery, not that she had anything against people who did, it was just that she never saw any sentimental value in the pieces crafted from rich elements of the earth.

Still the 'R' engraved on the necklace's pendant obviously meant something to her mother. Maybe it was a reason she ran away.

Mary wasn't stupid, she had figured out from the timing that her mum had ran away that she was pregnant with her. The only friend mum had now was Aunt Rocky, but she seemed to be away. She had tried contacting her aunt but was promptly directed to the voicemail. She would have to contact the school, her extra curricular activities and mum's workplace to explain their disappearance, probably a family funeral or something, no one would dare to bug them.

A knock sounded on her door, bringing the black haired girl out of her thoughts and head.

"Come in," She called out; adjusting herself onto her chair so she didn't look stupid on the floor.

The door slid open with a rush of wind and the silhouette of Batman came into view.

"We need to talk." He said, as only the slits of the cowl could be seen, narrowed dangerously, daring her to challenge him.

"We can talk here." She suggested tiredly,

"No, follow me. This isn't just about Zatanna." Batman said turning to leave the doorway,

"Then what's it about?" Mary asked, from behind him. Getting up and following obediently.

"You'll find out later." He said with no emotion, wishing that she would stop questioning everything.

"But if I find out later, I'll eventually find out. So really there is no point in waiting." She countered determined to out riddle the foe of the Riddler, though it was a lost cause.

"It has something to do with your heritage, do not question it." He grumbled, he was starting to get a headache, she had the same personality that his ward had when he was ten; questioning, open, generally charismatic and bright. Not that it wasn't a good thing, it was, he just forgot how energy consuming it was to run after a child with that type of personality.

* * *

"Mirror, Mirror on the wall. Who is the fairest of them all?" A voice dared to ask of the mighty mirror that had belonged to the queen.

"Why fair maiden, it shan't be you, for you nor are fair nor fairer than them all." The mirror replied back, fiery tongues dancing around its edges.

"Then tell me, true to the tale of Snow White, who is this Snow White's prince charming?" The voice wickedly asked, if her plan were to succeed she would have to eliminate the variable. The one unknown that couldn't be tracked down if she couldn't get this out of the enchanted mirror.

"But why would you want to know the true love of Zatanna Zatara? Evil purposes gain is not one's game, for it must be fair in every stage of trial." The mirror riddled, much to the distain of the figure.

"I do not have time for your persistent riddles, it is beneath me." The figure seethed, getting annoyed very quickly with the mirror that was supposed to help her.

"Just because your blood line is purer than most, does not give you the easy way out." The mirror stated, not happy with the way he was being used.

"True, but my bloodline gives me rights, to which you must follow my orders and wishes." The figure triumphed, crossing their arms over their chest and smirking in delight.

"All true, but this is where you are blinded by the corrupt around you. You are taught to think that because of your bloodline you can ask me whatever you wish. Though partly true, you must earn the right first."

"I'm trying to recreate the story, just with a little twist, of Snow White, my bloodline shall have nothing to do with my quest." The figure defended, her family had nothing to do with her choice. She chose to be alone, away from her family where no one could judge her for her choice of 'career'.

"But you have a revenge burning inside you that has been past down from your hate of your victims father." The mirror regarded darkly.

"Will you tell me, or will I have to force it out of you?"

"The true love of Zatanna you seek is seen as the younger prince of Gotham. Sapphire eyes with ebony hair, a child of the circus and adopted into high society. That is the true lover of Zatanna Zatara." The mirror spoke.

"Excellent." Enchantress whispered, green eyes flaming with a new determination and drive, she would get her revenge one way, or another.

* * *

There it is! Don't forget to review if you can, no pressure... JK! :)

Keep reading!

-The Missing X


	9. Chapter 9

THANK YOU SO MUCH! Just one day and I have gotten feedback about the last chapter, it makes me feel like I could fly! You guys that review and keep reading are absolutely amazing!

Replies to Reviews:

Kat610le: Thanks for the kind review, and I hope this is good enough for you! And I'll try to write more to the story without getting carried away witht he sub-plots :)

Helena Bellamurete: I just love that expression! I hope you, too, find this chapter good enough, and I hope you will not feel dissapointed... :)

Zatanna Carrile: You are excellent, marvellous and asterous! Thanks for reviewing!

Maddie: I strongly hope you throughly enjoy the chapter that is about to come, and thanks for all your support!

ShadowMouse4: Thanks, I'm glad you like the story, and suspense kills me too! I hope this wasn't too bad, or long, a wait.

PainInSilence: Eeeek! I want to know too! But here is the new chapter, up and running!

Disclaimer: Don't own Young Justice or DC Universe.

-The Missing X

* * *

"You're saying this kid is my daughter?" Nightwing asked Damian, quite loudly.

"Grayson, I would of thought you would be joyful with the news of an heir." Damian reprimanded smugly, he was enjoying this a much more than he should, and he was positive that if Tim or Jason were here they would be on the floor laughing.

"Would you be 'joyful' if some kid that appeared, looked exactly like your ex and was your kid, who you had no idea about for their whole life?" He screeched tugging on his hair.

They were in one of the meeting rooms; Damian was leaning back on his chair, arms behind his head and feet on the table with a trolling grin on his face. While Dick was the complete opposite, pacing the room, hands in his hair a scowl on his face, and both uniformed vigilantes were waiting for the boss man to arrive with Mary.

"Well, unlike you, I would never be in that situation." Damian cheered in sheer enjoyment.

"Shut up, I just- she looks nothing like me!" He exclaimed, his brain not making the connection between facts.

"Of course she does, and from what I've heard she acts like you, when you were younger." Damian replied in pure delight, oh he was enjoying this very much.

"What no, she looks _exactly _like Zatanna, her face, her hair, her nose, everything!" Nightwing said crossing his arms, reverting back to the blue chested hero.

"Her eyes are the same shade of blue as yours, stupid, and her hair is straight, like yours, not curly like Zatanna's." The teen wonder stated half-heartedly.

"I just-" He started, but was promptly shut down by the arrival of Batman and Mary, his daughter.

Now after being told the truth he couldn't help but see the similarities between them, her eyes were his shade of blue, that hair was the same, the way she carried herself, the sparkle in her eyes that was interested in everything around her. It was his daughter in blood and heart.

"Sit down." Batman gruffly said, as he took his seat at the head of the table, Mary sitting by herself at the very end, opposite to the Caped Crusader.

"We've got some news." He sighed; this was going to take a while…

* * *

Zatanna was currently cleaning the cottage, she had found out that there were in fact little people living in the cottage, seven of them to be exact. Each one true to their name, Doc, Bashful, Grumpy, Happy, Sneezy, Sleepy and Dopey, and each one looked exactly like the characters of Snow White.

Zatanna just thought this was over the top, but wasn't sure what to be cautious of, she shouldn't go anywhere near an old lady, or apples, or any type of fruit that may have been poisoned. But without her magic she felt completely helpless and bottled up, all the magic suppressed somehow, and without her powers she was just an ordinary human.

She didn't have special training in combat or weapons, she solely used her magic, her gift from her parents.

"Zatanna, you know you could always leave?" A small voice told her from behind, turning around she could see it was Doc, who looked very nervous and pitiful.

"I can't, where else am I going to go? This place is surrounded by a magical field that blocks out my ability and acts as a fence for me. I have nowhere to go." She said sadly, looking longingly out the window.

"Oh, be careful, we're going to work now." He said giving up, and walking out the door, but not before casting her a sad look. Such a beautiful soul trapped in the dark enchanted forest, it didn't seem right.

She wondered in that moment how Mary was doing, if she had found out the whole truth? If she was mad at her for keeping it a secret? If she had met her father? Everything, she missed her little girl, she missed the bright eyes, she missed the sarcastic remarks, she missed feeling proud when her daughter did something amazing, but most of all she missed being there.

And once again, Zatanna found herself alone, and unable to keep her act up, she crumpled down to her knees and began silently crying, the glistening tears rolling down her face in waves, as she felt more and more helpless.

* * *

"You mean to say my dad is Richard Grayson?" She blanded, loosing the smile for a scowl of disbelief.

"That is exactly what he said." Damian replied, looking fondly at his nails.

"I know what he said, but seriously?" She hissed at the son of Batman.

"You'll be staying at the manor." Batman suddenly announced, to the surprise of everyone present.

"What?" Everyone chorused, all in shock.

"You will be staying in the manor Mary, since you already know who we are it should be no problem." He stated again.

"What makes you think I want to live in your manor?" She asked in defiance,

"The fact that if you stay in the manor you will be with family." Batman said with the heart of Bruce Wayne,

"Fine," she grumbled, purposely avoiding eye contact with her dad.

"Robin, let's go." Batman said getting up, giving Nightwing the opportunity to get to know his daughter.

"Fine," He said aloud, but grumbling under his breath, "Can we at least put a camera here, Grayson's face is Hall of Fame worthy, and Tim and Jason would get a kick out of this."

Sadly, much to Damian's disdain, his father heard this and he was punished by a swift smack on the top of his head.

The tension between the father and daughter was so thick you couldn't cut it with a knife, or any other weapon. Silence lingered in the far corners of the room making everything that much more awkward.

Nightwing coughed, "So you're my daughter." He said rather awkwardly, admitting it wasn't his best way to start a conversation with your daughter that you didn't know about. How in the world did Bruce do it with Damian?

"Yeah, I am." She said softly, her eyes searching for his own behind the mask.

"Your name is Mary?" He asked kindly, remembering his kind hearted mother, who would have loved a grandchild.

"Yeah, what's it to you?" Mary sighed, she was finally getting to know who her dad was, and she had to say, she wasn't disappointed.

"Mary was my mother's name." He replied sadly, being taken back to the foggy memories of the circus.

"Oh, what about Aster? Does that mean something to you, or was mum really telling the truth?" She curiously leant forward.

"Aster?" He laughed, he couldn't believe Zatanna would dedicate part of their daughter's name to his old antics, "When I was still Robin I had a bad habit of bashing the English language, aster was one of the words I had created. From disaster, so instead of things going wrong they went right." He explained with a fond smile.

"Really?" She beamed, it seemed she wasn't the only one who thought that way.

"Really, so do you do anything apart from school?" He asked, eager to get to know about his daughter,

"Um yeah, Mathletes, Gymnastics, Martial Arts and Circus." She listed off, missing them more than she realized.

"Mathletes?" He asked. Wasn't she too young to be doing mathletes?

"I'm a year level above my actual year level." She explained. So she was smart, he thought smugly, a warming coming from his heart.

"Gymnastics?" He asked again, curious to see if she was any good at one of his favourite things.

"Yeah, got into it when I was young, been doing it ever since." She shrugged; she didn't need to go bragging off to him about her awards and that.

"Are you in a team?" He asked, as far as he knew a lot of kids now were in competitive teams, they never did it for the heck of it, or performance, it was all about winning and champions.

"Oh yeah, I'm in a team," she fidgeted; he just guessed she was embarrassed about what team she was in.

"What team?" He pressed on,

She took a while but she finally answered quietly, so quietly he almost missed it,

"The National Youth Team."

He whistled, she must be good then, really good.

"Yeah, I know. Great, wonderful." She said sadly, her coach was so going to kill her when she got back, if she got back.

"Why don't we go home?" He decided, the night was approaching and he didn't have any duties with the team, so he would wisely spend this time with his kid.

* * *

"What do you mean your busy tonight?" She asked to the caller on the phone.

Barbara was currently in her apartment making dinner for herself and Dick, who was supposed to come over tonight for a date, but apparently he was busy.

"I totally forgot Babs, it's just everything has been hectic, I mean really hectic." He explained, wishing that she would understand and not press the matter further.

"What made it so hectic you forgot our date tonight?" She hissed, her hand griping the wooden spoon harder.

"I'll come if you really want me to, but I'll be bringing a plus one." He bargained, he didn't want to screw things up between him and Babs, but he wanted to build a relationship with his daughter.

"Just get over here, and I swear if it's Wally again I will tip the spaghetti over you head." She threatened, and promptly hung up, slamming her phone down onto the bench, she breathed out in anger, couldn't things just go her way for once?

After a half an hour wait the doorbell rang, signaling Dick and his plus one's arrival. Rushing to open the door she prepared herself to be met with her boyfriend's best friend, but upon opening the door she found a small girl, who looked like Zatanna, the ex-girlfriend.

"Dick who's this?" She asked, a deadly glint in her eyes.

"Um, Babs this is Mary." He introduced extremely awkwardly,

"Hi," Mary waved shyly, and Barbara couldn't help but smile back to the petite girl

"Hey sweetie, come in." She kindly said gesturing to them to come in, sneaking Dick a glare.

"Sorry Babs, but I really want her to stay with me." He defended lightly, not knowing how she would take the news.

"Why?" She asked with a quiet fury, fire dancing around her head as she prepared to rip his limbs off in pure anger.

"Um, she's kind of my kid." He tried, today really wasn't his day, was it?

"Kind of?" She cocked an eyebrow up, by now Mary had moved from the front door to the kitchen, seeing the two adults needed space.

"Mine and Zatanna's." He said tight-lipped, looking away suddenly becoming interested in the yellow couch that had worn down over the years.

"Great." She replied, as she felt her heart sink lower and lower, until it hit rock bottom of her rib cage.

"You know it's over between us Babs, but this is my kid, I didn't even know she was mine until today." He defended, although part of it wasn't true, but he kept telling himself that.

"I know, I just can't help feeling like it could be over between _us._" She admitted finally, the past few weeks they had hardly seen each other, talked, and they had become distant.

"Just give it time, we c-" He started,

"You guys know the spaghetti is getting cold right?" Mary shouted from the kitchen, eager to eat good food, that smelt and tasted good.

"We're coming." Dick shouted back, "We'll get there Babs."

Looking like she didn't believe him she just stayed quite, but changed her mind when he lent down to give her short and sweet kiss, breaking apart smiling, she grabbed for his hand and walked to the kitchen, two peas in a pod. But she couldn't help feeling alienated holding his hand, the once warm grip that held years of comfort for her, taken and replaced with nothing, she felt nothing.

* * *

"Darling Zatanna," the enchantress cooed, looking in to the mirror and viewing her creation of a nightmare, "trapped in that stupid house, with stupid dwarves and stupid company. Trying your hardest to get out and back to the ones you love."

Throwing her head back and laughing, like a rumbling storm approaching, she silently praised herself for her master plan, all for revenge.

"Enchantress, your guest has been sent in." A servant of hers announced,

"Make them wait a while, I wish to bask in to glow of my victory further." She demanded, she loved feeling more powerful that most, her parents just didn't understand.

"Zatanna Zatara, you wouldn't be in this mess if it weren't for your dearest daddy, but because he's unavailable to torture, I'll settle for you, maybe he will see everything while in the helmet of Fate, but he can't do anything to save his only child." She smirked; everything was about to fall into place.

"Harvier!" She called, daring the servant to come forth, "Bring my guest in."

"As you wish Mistress." He said bowing down and leaving to collect the guest.

"I'm sure you are aware you are getting good payment for this clown," she said to the figure below her throne, "Make no mistake, if you do not get results, I will put you in a miserable state of mind. I will be expecting the job to be done." She hissed out, getting her point across rather well, if she were to say so.

"Oh, I understand, get rid of the prince? Easy peasy lemon squeezy." The clown sung joyously, a deadly smile on his face.

"Then get to work, I need no more presence from you." She shooed,

"The Joker's got this one covered, mistress, and he's pulling everything out of the bag." He cackled, his haunting laugh sounding throughout the halls.

* * *

There it is! Now I don't know how long I want this to drag out, so please tell me how many more chapters you want so I can plan ahead!

Until next time...

-The Missing X


	10. Chapter 10

Here is chapter 10, this one's a bit shorter and more angst-filled, mainly from Mary. Thanks for everyone who reviewed again, I appreciate it a lot!

Replies to reviews:

Zatanna Carrile: Naw, I love a bit of jealousy, makes things more interesting...

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Helena Bellamuerte: Thanks for the kind reivew, and I hope you like the update!

Alex Frost: Thanks for looking forward to it! Hope this is all good for you!

Guest: Here is your update! :)

Disclaimer: Don't own Young Justice or DC Universe

-The Missing X

* * *

Dinner for the girlfriend, boyfriend, and boyfriend's kid was awkward. Complete awkward silence fell over the three like thick fog, and Mary wasn't oblivious to glares her dad's girlfriend sent her.

From the, out of the corner of the eye glare, to the full on glare, and the just plain and simple glaring at you glare. But Mary didn't let it get to her, to be honest she didn't like Barbara either, and it wasn't like it was a problem, it was just a pest for Dick. The feeling was mutual.

Barbara only disliked Mary because she looked like her mother, her boyfriends ex-girlfriend, and it reminded her that she was second best to Zatanna, she was always second best, and to be honest she didn't like it, no one does, it's like coming second in a race, and only being put through to the big team because the first place winner injured herself. Not a good feeling.

Dick just wished Barbara would stop judging his daughter on her looks, and his daughter would stop looking at Barbara weirdly. Ok, yes she looked like Zatanna, and yes she was his daughter with her, but his girlfriend should have the decency to at least act like it wasn't like she was seeing the devil.

"Why don't you like me?" Mary blurted out rudely, it didn't mean to happen, she just lost it after all the glares the red head had given her. It was like on a cycle, from one glare to another, one to another.

"I don't not like you." Barbara defended, looking down at her empty plate, and twisting her fork around her fingers absentmindedly. Dick just watched on, seeing when he would have to stop the fight before it got too bad.

"Right," Mary sneered, "you just don't like who my mum is." Evilly glaring at the person behind Batgirl, who unfortunately was her dad's girlfriend.

"Enough," Dick commanded, gaining attention of both of the females sitting at the table, "can't we just eat our dinner in peace?" He asked, using his eyes to plead with them silently.

Barbara huffed, knowing that arguing was a lost cause in this situation; Dick would just go mama-bear on everyone, including her.

But Mary didn't want to sit at a table with her dad's _lovely_ girlfriend and be glared at every second, pushing her chair back and getting out she didn't regard either of them as she walked out the kitchen, down the hallway, out the front door, and leaving the two adults in a stunned silence.

"Did she just run away?" Barbara asked, wide eyed, that girl had an attitude.

"I'll go talk to her," Dick sighed, being a dad was much harder than the media made it look, "I'm sorry." He called over his shoulder as he rushed after his daughter.

* * *

Zatanna groaned as she awakened in her small and dusty room in the cottage, given to her by the dwarves that had no idea the room was here in the first place. That should have been the first warning sign. The second was the fact that the door was locked and she couldn't get it open.

"Hello?" She wailed out to anyone in the cottage,

"Somebody help me! I'm trapped!" She screamed as she grabbed the door knob and frantically trying to pry it open, to no avail.

Suddenly a figure appeared beside her, revenge glinting off her emerald eyes.

The raven haired woman let go of the door knob and jumped back with a scream, landing herself in a corner, backed up against a wall, which was not the best place to be.

"Zatanna Zatara. It's good to finally meet in person." The wicked lady said, offering her hand as a mockery of a meeting.

"Who are you?" Zatanna said from her corner, eyes flickering up and down from the face to the hand.

"Darling Zatanna, did daddy dearest never speak of my father?" The emerald lady cooed, noticing Zatanna tense up at the mention of her father.

"I have no idea who you are!" She screamed, smacking her head for effect, trying to get this nut job to understand. Taking in her appearance, green cloak covering most of her body, green eyes, dark hair, pale skin, but nothing really stood out to her.

"Well let me tell you who I am." The lady said coming in closer, trapping Zatanna into the corner so she couldn't free herself.

"My name is Enchantress, and your daddy dearest did something that resulted in my imprisonment in a isolated dimension." Enchantress deadly whispered, "and I'm here to get revenge on him, by hurting you."

"What?" Zatanna whispered in shock, was this just some mucked up revenge plan?

"That's right, you are here because this is for revenge." Enchantress laughed, "But do you know what makes this even better? Daddy dearest can't do anything to help you from inside the helmet of Dr Fate, just stuck watching his only family die, because he couldn't save her. Because even after she went missing, he failed her."

"You don't have to do this." Zatanna said, pleading with her captor, all she wanted was to get back to her daughter.

"I know, but I choose to." The emerald eyed sorceress whipped, "but you know who definitely won't see this coming?"

"Who?" Zatanna challenged, with no fear, or at least that's what she looked like.

"Richard Grayson." Enchantress smirked, head titled up at her victory.

Zatanna decided to play it dumb, "Who?" She softly asked, cocking her head to the side for a better effect.

"Your true love, the one your destined to be with, the one I'm getting rid of tonight, ring a bell?"

"Why are you getting rid of him?" She whispered, closing in on herself, she could be hurt, but not anyone else, even if she hadn't seen them for years she would put her life on the line for them.

"Because, darling Zatanna, in the story of Snow White it's prince charming who awakens the sleeping princess, but if there was no prince charming, the sleeping princess wouldn't wake up." She explained slowly and gloatingly, basking in the taste of her victory.

"You won't get him." She said standing back up to her full height and looking at Enchantress, fear flickering in through the cracks.

"I won't, the Joker will." She cackled, throwing her hand back, "Oh, and have fun being here for the rest of your time. Your trapped." Enchantress said before disapearing again, leaving Zatanna alone to absorb her new found knowledge.

* * *

Mary was out on the street, already walking with her coat on, just going in the general direction, wherever the wind takes her.

"Mary!" Dick called out, running after the small figure, who stopped in her path and turned to look at her dad.

"What?" She groaned, no way was she going back to Barbara's, or as she labeled her: the dragon's, apartment.

"You need to come back inside and apologise to Barbara." He said catching up to her, the wintery breaths evaporating in the cool air surrounding the two people standing in the empty street.

"For what?" She defended, eyes narrowed and chin up, she didn't need to apologise to the fire head, so no way was it going to happen.

"For being rude, you can't just snap at people like that." He stressed, why was it so hard for the two women in his life to get along, it shouldn't have to take an effort.

"For being rude?" She laughed out, looking at him incredulously, "Are you serious?"

"Stop laughing, this is serious. You can't just snap at her like that and then storm out, we could have lost you." He reprimanded, looking down at the glaring girl. Who had a twisted expression on her face, a mix of emotions ran through her, hurt, discomfort, anger, and betrayal.

"For being rude?" She shouted, not caring if anyone heard her now, "For being rude? I have just been introduced to my _dad_ who I never knew about, I have just been thrown into a different city, place and environment, and you want me to stop defending myself?" She yelled, taking a step back.

"Defending yourself? You were being rude to Barbara, and stormed out here!" He said, not quiet yelling, but getting closer to it, having to restrain himself not wanting to attract attention.

"I was being rude? You need to search up the definition of rude before you accuse someone of being rude! Did you not see the glares she was giving me? It was like she wanted me to die on the spot." Mary screamed at him, arms flailing around her body, emphasizing her point, tears starting to well in her eyes.

"Mary, calm down, and just come back. We can discuss this later." He said softly seeing the distressed state she was in.

"Calm down? _Calm down?_" She laughed and screamed at him, letting the waterfall of tears fall freely now.

Dammit, he knew she had kept it together a bit too well before, he just hope she was good at dealing with things but sadly he was wrong, and here was the onslaught.

"My mum has been taken, my _mum _has been taken. The only family I have has been taken, and I don't even know if she's alive! You want me to calm down?" She screeched, backing away further and further from her DNA donor. Dick tried to say something, but she cut him off before he could get any words out,

"No! Don't. Speak. You want me to calm down when I have been here a day, ordering me around like you've been here my whole life? No! No way in HELL does it work like that! You want me to _apologise_ to Barbara Gordon the 'love of your life' who just sat at a table and glared at me? You want me to say sorry for looking like my mum? You want me to say sorry I'm your kid, you had no idea? You want me to say sorry for being alive? You want me to say sorry after all that's happened today? You don't get to dictate my life, you may be my biological dad, but you're not my dad. I don't have a dad." She sneered at him, not once regretting the verbal attack that came from her mind and mouth, her words, her weapon.

Dick wouldn't lie to himself, that hurt. It was worst than getting beaten up by the Joker, worst than breaking a bone, worst than waking up from a coma without sedatives, it was like hell, his own flesh and blood just denied a bond with him, what ever they had, it was past gone now.

Just staring at his daughter with a pained expression, he made no move forward, and she didn't make a move back.

"Mary, please." He softly pleaded, but he could see she wasn't going to relent that easily, the determination glowing off her and reflected in her eyes showed she was standing up, she wasn't taking anything back and she wasn't going to say sorry.

"You can go back to your girlfriend," she spat the word out like it was poison in her mouth, "I'm waiting out here, call Bruce or someone to pick me up." She said, tear tracks staining her features, the cold emitting pinkness on her nose.

"No, you can't stay out here by yourself. This is Gotham, not wherever you lived before, it isn't safe out at night for people like you." He said stepping towards her,

"And it's safe for you? Because your bigger, a male, older, or because your trained?" She said narrowing her eyes dangerously at him, she knew that people stereotyped easily and she wasn't going to fall victim to it.

"The last, it's dangerous, we have villains here. And especially in Gotham they are psycho, you can't tell what they're going to do next, please Mary, just come inside." He pleaded her, like it was his last life to live.

"Fine, but don't expect me to even look at the dragon, I want to go home." She relented, not losing the steely gaze,

"We'll go back to the manor shortly, I just need to talk to Babs." He decided, watching her walk to the door of the apartment complex and open the door,

"I mean my home, with my family." She sneered before slamming another door behind her.

* * *

A low chuckle rumbled from the figure standing atop a building, looking down on Gotham City like they were the sole ruler.

The Joker stood on top of the Wayne enterprises building, over looking the playground below, just filled with little children to bully. But he wasn't allowed his chaotic fun because he was on a job. A job that payed for his retirement, and by golly he was getting the money, even if he had to trick it out of the grumpy sorceress himself.

He had a whole diabolical plan set up, get the adopted prince of Gotham, kidnap him, put it on live tele, gloat, and then collect his money.

Although he decided plan A wasn't going to work for him, so he went with plan B, setting up fake bombs all over the city, the Batclan would be occupied, meaning that he could slip in and kill Grayson before anyone would know it was him. Genius really, everything just had to have more fun!

"Boy's get the camera's ready," he called to his goons, "the shows about to start."

Told you it was shorter, and it's not my best work either...

For people who don't know, Enchantress is actually a villain in the comics, but I made up her backstory or whatever you wanted to call that little revelation. Don't forget to review, and if you didn't forget and just don't want to, just keep reading, cheers!

-The Missing X


	11. Chapter 11

Thanks SO much for your support, I know I took a long time to update, but I've been so busy with all the tests and mid year stuff going on. But thanks again for support and reviewers, you are all crazy great! Now I won't be updating until mid week because I'm going away where I won't have any internet! but don't worry, I've got the next chapter sorted and it's just a matter of posting it!

Replies to Reviews:

Zatanna Carrile: I know! But I guess it always makes it more fun to see the different outcomes of each of his plans.

Helena Bellamuerte: I'm glad you liked the more agnsty Mary in the chapter, I thought it would give a bit more dynamic and depth!

AwesomeSauce: Thanks for reviewing! You're too kind!

amyanime4: I love dramatic scenes, they can either be really good, or really funny! Or at least I find...

flowerhugs753: Do I have to? :) I'm just messing with ya!

21 is awesome: Thank you for your three reviews in the short time, it makes my heart soar! :)

xjean64: I hope this wasn't too long for you! And sorry for the wait... :)

Guest: I'm so glad you're excited for this chapter:)...

magicforever9: Thanks for thinking it's asterous, you're asterous! x

**Disclaimer: Don't Own Young Justice or DC Universe.**

-The Missing X

* * *

Mary was currently sitting on the floor in the hallway of the dragon's apartment, or would evil castle be the proper terminology?

Blowing the hair out of her face every few seconds, trying her very best to annoy the two adults trying to have some alone time together. Her idea of a perfect family was burning down, and fast. Her dad was obviously in denial, trying to stretch out what was left of his relationship with fire breather until they would inevitably break up. Boo. Hoo. Just get it over with, she thought.

Her dad was nothing like she thought he'd be, and she didn't think her mum was who she thought she was either, but at least with her mum they have a mutual understanding. Playing with the buckle of her shoe, she kept flicking it and flicking it, ignoring the sounds of PDA coming from the living room, didn't they have any respect or decency?

"Oi! Shut the moaning up!" She screamed from her position on the floor, becoming increasingly annoyed with the company she had to keep.

Thankfully no more moans came from the living room, and Mary had her moment of silence before the thumping of the four feet came towards her.

"We're going now." Dick said to Barbara, who had a goofy smile on her face that Mary just felt like smacking off. She also noticed the lipstick satins trailing down the man's neck in weird patterns, that may have well been painted there as the word: BUSTED.

"Ok, it was nice meeting you Mary." She said kindly with no meaning behind it whatsoever, and her eyes showed fake kindness, the one Mary did not want.

"Great meeting you too dra- Barbara." She stumbled, halfway out the door already.

"See ya Babs, thanks for the dinner!" Dick called to Barbara before shutting the door behind him.

* * *

The screens of Gotham blacked out for a few seconds, sending panic into the viewers and into a frenzy, texting, uploading, complaining, and a second of shock. Sadly this did not last long, the screen flicked back on with little notion, and on the screen appeared the Joker.

"Hello, citizen's of Gotham!" He proclaimed, a wide grin embellishing his features,

"Me and my brilliant mind thought you looked bored so we decided to…liven it up." He said leaning closer to the camera, a rumbling giggle echoing through the speakers.

"Over Gotham I have placed six different bombs, one for each of the Batsy's family, Boy Blunder, Red Foof, Fatgirl, Red Goblin, Golden Boy and Batsy himself. And you have 2 hours to find and disarm them! Have your jollies" He cheered joyously, as if it were the best day of his life.

"And while your hoping they will be able to save Gotham, you can return to the shows you like watching, but remember, nothing goes Kaboom, like a good ol' Joker bomb."

And like that the transmission was cut and the previous shows that were bring watched were returned to the now frightened Gotham resident's screens.

* * *

"Nightwing, did you get that?" Batman said through the com-link, still trying to pin point all of the six bombs locations.

_"Got it, but what do you want us to do?"_ Nightwing answered back, driving in the car with a emotionless Mary in the backseat.

"We need to find and disarm the bombs, the rest are already on their way here. You need to suit up and get here as soon as possible." He instructed, as he zoned in the co-ordinates of one of the bombs, one to go.

_"I get that, but what do I do with Mary?" _He asked warily to the older man.

"She can stay in the cave, help Alfred monitor everything." Batman decided, she was part of the family.

_"All right, Nightwing out."_

"Is he on his way?" Robin asked from beside him, trying to help find the bombs.

"He is, and so is everyone else." Batman said, wishing that the bombs were easier to trace, it was like find the needle in the haystack, but in this case, hay in the needle stack.

"I've got two now, one at the docks, warehouse three, and one under the bleachers of Gotham Academy." Robin said, pulling the information into the holoscreen in the middle of the cave.

"Good work, I've got two as well. One in the casino, second floor toilets. The second one atop of the main radio station." Batman said pulling his information to the screen.

"I bet you I can find mine before you can find yours." Robin betted, with a sly smirk.

"You're on chum." Batman said back, already working on it.

They furiously began typing, scanning Gotham in sections, like a bread loaf being sliced up, both of them getting closer and closer to finding the last two bombs, one for each bat.

"You lost chum," Batman said pulling his information up, "I found _both_ of them, one on the roof of the hospital, and one inside the commissioners office." He finished smugly.

"Can't beat the old man at his own game." Robin grumbled under his breath.

"You called?" Batgirl asked, entering the cave, cowl still down.

"Batgirl," Robin acknowledged,

Batman continued on, "You are disarming the bomb in the casino, co-ordinates have already been locked on your com, and computer. They are located in the women's toilets on the second floor."

"Rodger that, anything else?" She said, checking her systems before she would go out in the field.

"Be prepared for anything, this is the Joker we're dealing with, we don't know what to expect. If you can't disarm the bomb, get out." He warned, again, it was always the same lecture when dealing with the Joker.

"Got it Bats, I'll keep in touch with Agent A." She said before revving her motorcycle, and speeding out of the cave leaving the dust billowing behind her.

"One down five to go." Robin whistled, this was way more pressurised than it should be.

Batman turned to face him, "Robin, you head out to the hospital, disarm the bomb on the roof, if you can't e-"

"Evacuate the building, got it," He interrupted, "I'll evacuate first and then head up, I've locked the co-ordinates on my ride."

"Good, head out." Batman ordered, silently proud of his protégée, who had nodded and turned to take his R-cycle to the hospital.

"Bruce!" A loud booming voice called, the name echoing in the cave.

Bruce rolled his eyes behind his mask; there was only one person in the world who would do that. His second son, the second Robin, Jason.

"Red Hood, what have I told you about names in the field." He sighed,

"Not to, but I don't care, we're in the cave." Jason swaggered in, swinging his helmet around on his hand.

"You understand the situation?" Batman stressed, Red Hood nodded, "Then you understand what's at risk here, if you encounter the Joker, which is unlikely, do not kill him."

"Fine," He drawled, "But there's no reason o put him in a body cast," he said lightly.

"You will be disarming the bomb in the commissioner's office at the police station." Batman said, willing the younger man to just go with it for once.

"I'm guessing you've sent the demon brat out to one of the things already because he's not groveling at your feet." He snickered, putting his helmet on his head and locking it in place.

"That's your brother." Batman said lamely, slightly pissed off at Jason right now, increasing by the second.

"Yeah whatever, I'm heading out now, I'll keep check in with Alfred." Jason said lazily before leaving out on his own motorcycle.

"Batman to Nightwing and Red Robin, get here _now_." He hissed over the communicator,

* * *

"Your mission is clear." Batman said to all the members of the Batclan helping, Nightwing, Red Robin, Batgirl, Red Hood and Robin, "Disarm the bombs, and check for the Joker, no sign of him come back to base. Report." He asked, double-checking that they were stationed where they were supposed to be.

_"Ready, already disarming the one at casino, citizens have been evacuated, no sign of Joker." _Batgirl reported, clipping the wires by colour ever so carefully.

_"Robin heading back to base, my bomb was a fake, double checked, no sign of the clown, everyone is safe."_ Robin reported back, on his way back to the base to see if he could help with anything there.

_"Red Hood, Commish's office is secured, disabling now, everyone's been evacuated to a one mile radius, no sign of the devil clown." _Red Hood reported, deciding whether or not to shoot the bomb or disable it manually.

_"Red Robin reporting, climbing radio tower now, bomb in sight, people have been evacuated." _He reported in, concentrating on not falling to his death.

_"Nightwing, arriving at G.A., no sign of Joker so far, could be wrong, check in with Agent A later." _Nightwing reported, picking the lock and hacking into the alarm systems to get into the gym.

_"All right team, head out and stay cautious, Batman out." _Boss man replied, thankful that they knew what to do this time.

* * *

Nightwing was currently disarming the bomb in the gymnasium, thirty-three minutes and counting, keeping cool under the situation, and remembering all the different ways to disarm different bombs.

_Nearly there_, he thought to himself as he was about to cut the last wire_, _ but as he cut it the circuit fried, revealing to him that the bomb was a fake like Robins, deciding to report in to Batman he tapped his com-link.

"Nightwing to Batman, bomb was fake. No sign of Joker, heading back to base."

_"Good work Nightwing, hea-" _Batman started but was cut off by a knife whirling past Nightwing's head, embedding itself into the wall next to him.

A dark chuckle sounded from the door way of the gym, revealing the silhouette of the Joker,

"So golden boy found out the bomb wasn't real." He chuckled, "But do you know what's real?"

"What?" Nightwing challenged, getting his escrima sticks out of their pouch.

"The death of the witches true love." Joker chuckled sadistically, his boss never said he couldn't drop hints, and plus he had already gotten paid; he didn't need to finish the job.

"Witch…" Nightwing mumbled to himself, Zatanna!

"The one who went bye-bye-Batsy a few years ago, boss has got her locked up somewhere, and she ain't coming back awake." Joker grinned, pulling his knife out of its place in his jacket.

"Tell me where she is." Nightwing demanded, rushing forward into battle,

Joker dodged the blow and parried with his own, "Now what makes you think I'll tell you?"

"The fact that if you don't you won't be seeing anything for a very long time." Nightwing threatened.

"Oo," Joker cooed, "Your no fun anymore Golden Boy, you used to talk a lot more." He pouted, backing away with every attack Nightwing made.

"We grow up Joker now tell me where is she?" Nightwing hissed out, eyes narrowed dangerously and calculating what to do next.

The clown thought for a second, if he told Nightwing where she was it would be a lot more fun and chaotic.

"Let's try something new," He bargained, grinning mischievously,

"Riddle me this:" He started, using the Riddler's starting line, "Where the wicked queen will lie, underneath the earth, down the rabbit hole they go, six feet deep. That is where you will find your fairytale princess asleep." He said with a serious face, and then broke out into a fit of laughter.

Nightwing growled and knocked him out, tying him up so he could ship the maniac off to Arkham again.

He had his first clue.

* * *

The heroes of Gotham had saved the day, night, again. Making Gotham a safer place for now, people could watch television without fear, and everything would go back to normal, well, as normal as you could get when you lived in a crime-riddled city.

Resting and comparing notes in the batcave were all the city's saviors.

"Good job team," Batman said, "Joker is back in his cell at Arkham, bombs are all disabled, but are we sure this was a set up? All the bombs placed out tonight were fake, this suggests either he wanted to do something, or he just did it for fun." He spat out, honestly the Joker disgusted him, and scarred him, and the clown truly was Batman's biggest foe.

"Um," Nightwing spoke up, "Joker was working for someone, he said that the person who he was working for had Zatanna, and implied he was being paid to kill the one person who could stop their plans. He gave me a clue, in a riddle weirdly enough. '_Where the wicked queen will lie, underneath the earth, down the rabbit hole they go, six feet deep. That is where you will find your fairytale princess asleep.'"_

"Six feet deep, rabbit hole?" Tim listed off, "Sounds like the Hatter, but he's in Arkham, so must be a random. Clues point to the Gotham Cemetery."

"Correct Red Robin," Batman said, "Tomorrow we'll send the team to look around the cemetery, for now, get some rest."

* * *

"Argh!" Enchantress screamed looking through her viewing mirror. The Joker had just given Nightwing the biggest clue he could have possibly given; now she was out of time and soon to be out of luck.

She would have to put the plan into action now. They didn't know what would happen to Zatanna, she could reply on that much.

Storming down the windy staircase that led to the outside of her castle, she opened a portal to take her to the cottage. As she stepped out the dwarves came into her vision, but never worried her, she had put them under a sleep spell, designed to wake them up and blank their memories of Zatanna when she escaped this world, a fail-safe that had to be put into action without push.

Entering the cottage and smashing open the door of the room Zatanna had been in for the last two days, she smirked, her plan was coming into action.

Closing the door behind her quietly she could see Zatanna still fast asleep, exhausted from trying to escape using magic. Breaking part of the apple she had brought, she sliced it into a small cube and forced it into Zatanna's mouth. The breath Zatanna took in shuddered her awake, coughing and coughing trying to get the cube that was lodged in her throat out, but stupidly swallowing it, as Zatanna came to her senses she realized what was going on, looking at the apple in her capture's hand in fear.

She felt her lids getting heavier, as she tried to fight the temptation of sleep, but failed miserably as she slumped against the wall, her vision becoming null, and her hearing becoming blocked up.

The last thing Zatanna heard was the evil cackle of Enchantress.

* * *

Tada! Hope that was good enough for you! Not my best work I admit but we can't always produce an A+ piece of work... I can't anyway, review, keep reading and spread the word!

-The Missing X


	12. Chapter 12

Ok... So I just got back from wherever I was for the last few days! This isn't the best chapter, nor the longest and it's quite short. But thanks for everyone who is constantly supporting this story! AND I've put up a fic that has eight story ideas that I can't decide on, if you could check them out and review which one you would like to see being written that would be great!

Replies to Reviews:

D.N.S Aknia: Thanks, and yes Jason is still alive, just becuase I really like his character, and I hope Mary and Barbara patch up whatever's going on there too!

Helena Bellamuerte: It's the thought that counts! And you've already been so encouraging I'm really happy that you keep deciding on reviewing! Thanks a million!

Zatanna Carrile: I'm glad you enjoy the story! And I love replying to reviews because it makes me feel good when people actually post reviews so I just have to say Thank you!

missmarvelgirl: Thanks for the support!

amyanime4: I know! I love having a intellectual yet somewhat immature kid in stories, it just makes things more fun!

magicforever9: OMG you reviewed 3 times for the one chapter! I actually love you :) Thanks for the support and I'm sorry for making you wait so long!

21 is awesome: I love Zatanna too! Thanks for your review and I hope this doesn't disappoint.

Linh: Here is the chapter you wanted! Hope it is good enough!

flowerhugs753: -.- I did. I just really don't like when people tell me how to do things a certain way. Nothings wrong or right and people should have control over things they are in charge of or create. Sorry for the rant but it really pisses me off when people boss me around. Any who ILY! :)

fashion101: I get impatient too don't worry, love the name btw! Here is the update!

Disclaimer: Don't Own Young Justice or DC Universe

-The Missing X

* * *

After the seemingly long night, everyone had gotten back mostly unharmed, there were bruises and cuts, the usual, and no one was psychologically damaged, so that was a plus. Alfred had laid out supper for the hungry heroes, but Barbara had said goodnight earlier, finding herself very tired from lack of sleep that week.

Bruce, Dick, Jason, Tim and Damian were lounging around in the kitchen chowing down on the food Alfred had set out for them. Talking about _the_ case, the one that they had figured out, quite hurriedly, about Zatanna and her whereabouts.

In the heat of all discussion Mary had entered the room, wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt Alfred had found, one of Dick's old clothes that were never thrown out.

Sitting down silently and blocking out the conversation occurring that the other end of the long table, she started playing with her fork. Twirling the silverware in between her fingers, one transition to another, focusing her mind on the movements so carefully she could hear the air being whooshed around the fork.

But getting more and more frustrated with the fact that she was getting bored and all her other unreleased emotions she hurled it at the closest target she could find, Tim. She didn't mean to aim for him, or let the silverware escape her nimble fingers but things just happen, thankfully he could sense the flying object and duck in time for the fork of death to go flying over his head and thwack into the wall.

The occupants turned to look at a sheepish Mary, who's cheeks began to redden by the second and mouth curved in a sheepish smile. But the words out of Tim's mouth were not what she expected from someone who just had a fork flung at them.

"Who are you?" He said as he rose back up to his full sitting height, looking curiously at the girl.

"Tim this is Mary," Dick said with a hint of pride, "Mary, one of my younger brothers Tim."

"I know," She interjected, still slightly mad at him for earlier, although he had apologized countless times since.

"He's Red Robin?" She asked looking the young man over, who suddenly stiffened up at the mention of his hero identity.

"Yup." Dick said, sending a playful smile in Tim's direction.

"I can see the resemblance," she added thoughtfully,

"You know who I am, but I don't know who you are." Tim said defensively, not sure whether he could trust the little intruder.

"Sorry, My name is Mary-Aster Sindella Zatara-Grayson, nice to meet you." She said with a smirk, the same smirk Dick used countless times as Robin.

"Woah, wait WHAT?" Jason interjected rather rudely.

"Todd there's nothing to be surprised of, Grayson has a kid with Zatanna." Damian said, rubbing his temples with his forefingers timidly.

"No not that! But Dick," He said turning to face the girl, "She looks like she's ten, which means you had to have fu-"

"Master Jason." Alfred called sharply, "There is no place for that sort of language in this property."

"Sorry Alfred, but you know what I mean." Jason said turning back to Dick, who was now blushing furiously, and Mary reckoned he looked a beautiful shade of fire engine red.

"Ew." Tim said with a scrunched up face, "Unholy images, Jason that's just gross."

"Yeah, yeah, it's not like you haven't done it before." Jason brushed off, "So you're his kid?" Jason said turning back to look at Mary directly.

"Yeah." She said dejectedly, looking away awkwardly, at least she wasn't being glared at.

"Does that mean you know where your mum is?" Tim butted in, before Jason could say something bad, _again._

"No, isn't that what you're supposed to do? You're heroes you save the innocent and hurt, it's basically in the job description." Mary said waving her hands around her in a frenzy.

"It's more complicated than that," Tim started, thinking of all the different schematics of their chosen profession.

"Oh really?" Mary challenged, "Then what do you aim for in the end of the day? Justice perhaps? But what is justice for the little children who look up to you? You save the people and lock the bad guys up." She said walking around to slam her hand down in the space beside Tim.

"By chance are you on the debate team of your school?" Damian asked, highly amused at the confrontation occurring between the man and girl.

"Negative, they thought I was too young to join." Mary answered with a wave of her hand, not paying much attention to Damian.

"Really?" Tim wondered, some school.

"Back to the point." Mary said becoming annoyed, "What do you have on my mum's whereabouts?"

"A riddle the Joker gave us." Dick butted in, as he was the only one who actually remembered the riddle.

"Well?" She asked impatiently, "What's the riddle?"

"Where the Wicked Queen will lie, underneath the earth, down the rabbit hole they go, six feet deep. This is where you find your fairytale princess fast asleep." He recited in perfect sync with what Bruce was thinking.

"And what do you think this means, Broody Moody?" She said, turning her head towards Bruce who was deep in thought.

"Tim came up with the theory that it meant the cemetery, six feet deep, underneath the earth. I agree, but it always could be something else." Bruce said thoughtfully, giving this case his undivided processing power now.

"Well I don't think that's right." Mary stated with bored eyes, are these really the best detectives in the world?

"Where do you think it is then?" Tim asked with mock curiosity, did she really think she could outthink him, the thinker of all the thinkers.

"I don't know but the cemetery doesn't sound right." She hummed, her brows knitting together in thought.

"Well what does sound right? I can't think of any other place it could be. We just have to look for the other clues." Tim scoffed, inwardly rolling his eyes, and looking at Jason in disbelief.

"A place back in New York." Mary thought, searching her mind for the key words and places that related or linked to the riddle. _There was a zoo…a new exhibit…a rabbit enclosure…burrows…_

"What place?" Bruce asked, noticing the look on her face, it was the same on she had expressed when she found out his identity. Her brows were furrowed, bottom lip sucked into her mouth in concentration, left cheek blown up like a puffer fish and her eyes were open but not seeing, instead staring into the space as if the information she needed was right there.

"One of the zoos back in New York, they opened a new exhibit." She muttered, eyes still searching for the location she needed.

"You mean the Central Park Zoo?" Dick asked, remembering attending the new exhibit's opening on behalf of Wayne Foundation, as Bruce was away overseas.

"That's it!" Mary exclaimed, "They opened a exhibit called 'Underneath the Earth', there are rabbit's in one of the enclosures inside the exhibit, and they allow you to see six feet under the earth where rabbit burrow." She listed excitedly, hoping with all her heart she was right and she would have her mum back soon.

"Good, now go get some sleep, it's been a long day." Bruce said, himself feeling tired after only a few hours of sleep the past few weeks.

"Alright, G'night." Mary called, as she left the room to go to her allocated room in the Manor for some slumber.

"You're not letting her go on the mission are you?" Tim asked, at no one in particular.

"No." Bruce and Dick said at the same time, she was too young and inexperienced to be going out in their line of work.

* * *

Don't hate me! I know, not my best work, but it was rushed! :) Any who... Review if you want, or just keep reading, and don't forget to check out my other fic about the stories and have a say on which one you want!

-The Missing X


	13. Chapter 13

I'm so sorry! I was sprung with a surprise vacation and we basically went to the woods. O.O

I tried making this one extra long for the people who had to wait for nine days!

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**Disclaimer: Don't own Young Justice or DC Universe.**

Sorry if the beginning's kind of slow...

-The Missing X

* * *

_"You're not letting her on the mission are you?"_

_"No."_

* * *

Mary scoffed, _idiots._

Did they honestly think she wasn't going to even try and come along? It was her mum, her location and her family. Of course she was going to go, although since her dad and sort-of granddad weren't going to allow her to tag along she would have to find her own way there.

She really didn't know how she would get there but she made it this far right?

She could surely make it further, no sweat. Although she would have to find something to wear other than the sweats they had given her. It would be no problem, she'd probably have to find something to hide her face going back to New York, and she would probably have to find a way to get to New York.

Sleep, she would sleep on it. Too tired to do anything else she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Noon arrived the next day, the occupants of the house, minus Alfred and Mary, had departed for the Team Headquarters. Alfred thought it rather strange that Mary hadn't awaken yet, as she had told that she preferred to wake up at the crack of dawn.

So, with his suspicious senses going crazy, he went down to her room to check on her, after all, she was now part of the family.

Knocking on the door and announcing himself, "Miss Mary, I suggest you arise as it is noon."

But no one replied, so he opened the door quietly and peeped inside. To his dismay the room was completely empty, and the small window was open, letting the breeze flow in freely. On the bed was a piece of paper that had been written on, taking it in his hands and reading the contents he gasped,

_Dear Alfred, Alfie, Pennyworth or Sir,_

_I have gone to New York in pursuit of my mum, I've taken supplies from the 'basement' and I left early this morning (around 3) to take a bus. Don't worry I'm perfectly safe,_

_Best Wishes,_

_Mary._

_P.S. I will probably get some stuff from our apartment._

Immediately taking the note and rushing down the Batcave, he opened the emergency line connected to all members of the Bat family and waited for anyone to reply.

_"This is Batgirl picking up, what's the problem?"_ Batgirl pitched in, as she was still on her way to mission briefing,

"Batgirl, I'm afra-"

_"Red Hood in, What's up cookie master?"_ Red Hood breezily replied,

"Red Hood you are on with Batgirl, we ha-"

_"Robin and Red Robin in, what's up?"_ Red Robin called for both of them, as they were both in the Batmobile backseat.

"Ah, we are missing Nightwing and Batman b-"

_"Batman,"_ The voice said gruffly, _"Why is the emergency line on?"_

_"We have a dire si-"_

_"Nightwing in, is there something wrong?"_

"Yes," Alfred stressed, what did he do to deserve this, "I have activated the emergency line because Mary has departed for New York in pursuit of her mother, she left a note."

_"Alfie, when you say 'departed' what does that mean?"_ Red Hood said cheekily,

"I mean she ran away to take a bus to New York, in the early hours this morning." Alfred replied instantly,

_"What?"_ Nightwing practically screamed through the line, deafening everyone listening in.

_"We'll intercept her in New York, thanks Alfred."_ Batman commanded, leaving the old man to worry in silence.

* * *

She thought she was doing pretty well for being by herself and travelling all the way to New York from Gotham. She had been let on as soon as she said she was, in a way, related to Bruce Wayne. And right now she was on a bus looking out the window and watching the random cars that would past, the cyclist that looked like they were stuck in suspended animation and she could often feel the disapproving stares she was receiving from the more elderly folk aboard the bus.

In just under an hour she would be in New York, one step closer to having her mum back. She didn't really have a plan at the present stage, but then again, she'd been sleeping most of the ride.

Just one hour and she'd have a real family for once.

* * *

"Why?" He screamed, once he arrived at the cave.

He had just gotten the news that his daughter had sneaked out of the house in the early hours of the morning, and because he thought she was just tired and didn't want to be disturbed he didn't check on her when he left. _Stupid._

Alfred said that she was on her way to New York, so Batman had given him the task of finding out information on where their apartment may be.

He had been racking his brain for different information on anything to go on, past conversations with Zatanna, conversations with Mary and places that may just be pleasing to live in.

According to Mary, before meeting him her last name had been Arataz, the backwards form of Zatara, and she also said that Zatanna used the name Zee.

So pulling up the holo-computer and searching files specific to New York, searching for 'Zee Arataz'.

There were a few articles that came up for a small newspaper firm. Tapping into the local government files for location details.

So apparently they live in an apartment in the north-west side of town, and she's currently on a break for a family members death. Ironic how she's the one missing, he thought.

"Nightwing to Batman, I found out where she's going." He said pressing the com-link to Batman.

_"Received co-ordinates, zeta there and intercept her, we're on our way."_ Batman replied, his voice as grave as ever.

* * *

Mary was scuffling in her room, collecting random things she may need, clothes, sports gear, shoes, toothbrush, souvenirs, photos, passports, documentation. She was already regretting staying over her time, all the memories she had blocked up had been rushing back to her, just by looking at a little design of the apartment.

_Click._

Her head snapped up at the sound, someone else was in the apartment. And she had known for sure she hadn't told anyone where the apartment was, paranoia started to set it.

What if it was the same person her mum fell victim to? What it they were coming back for her?

Silently staying in her room she backed into the corner where she would not be seen on first entry. She looked for anything she could use as a weapon of self defence, but she couldn't find any particular weapons, but found a set of juggling pins.

Good enough.

Silently holding her breath.

Sweat forming on her brow.

And she would be lying if she wasn't scared out of her mind right now, she was beyond scared, the adrenalin had given her a boost, and all she could think about was how many different ways she had been taught to disarm and disable someone.

As the shadow drew closer to the room her breath became more and more desperate, her lungs were screaming at her and her hands held tightly to the pins, one in each hand.

Then entered the figure, and from the second she could see it was a male, black cape, black hair and a lot taller than her. She didn't even comprehend it may be an ally before charging silently with the grace of an acrobat and flung one pin at the head. Her aim was true, but the figure ducked and swerved around so fast she could just see a blur.

But before the figure could call out to her to stop she was already halfway in the motion of batting him in the face.

_Thud._

She had found her poor target, now on the floor cupping his face, after letting out a startled cry. Before she could attack again, a voice called her to attention.

"Mary." Cold and cut the voice broke through to her brain, still slow in making connections.

Taking a closer look at the clump now rising to his feet, her eyes widened at the hero she had just thumped in the face with a juggling pin.

Robin, Damian, Oh dear lord.

"Oh my god," she cried, rushing to Robin and dropping her pin, "I'm so sorry, I had no idea it was you, are you ok? Did I break anything? I'm so, _so_ sorry." She gushed, checking him over.

"Mary, get off me." He simply said, finding the child's unnecessary care, well, unnecessary.

"Oh right," she blushed, "sorry again."

"Mary, do you have any idea of how much trouble you're in?" The adult in the room claimed, and she had never been more scared of the Batman in her life.

"Um, yes?" She said, trying to get out of whatever he had in mind for her.

"Are you crazy?" Damian butted in, "You could've gotten killed."

"Could've, should've, would've… didn't. I'm fine, I just needed some things." She said with the flick of her wrist.

"You shouldn't' have snuck out, especially in Gotham. What possessed you to do so in the first place?" Batman reprimanded, taking control of the reigns.

"You see, before I went to bed, I heard your little talk with dad about how I wasn't allowed on the mission," Mary started, Damian just smiled, he liked this girl, "So there really wasn't any point in arguing with you then because you would've strapped me down if I had tipped you off. So I went out on my own. It really wasn't hard, I told the bus driver I was related to Bruce Wayne and it was an emergency, and she just told me to get right on."

"So you snuck out, took gear from the cave, took a bus to New York at three in the morning, all because you wanted to go on the mission." He repeated, struggling to contain his anger.

"Well when you put it like that it just sounds stupid." She blanded,

"It was stupid." Damian put in with a gleeful smile.

"Batgirl will take you back to Gotham, where you _will _stay." Batman said gravely, leaning in closer to get his message across.

"No way!" Mary screeched, "I want to be on that mission! And what's worse is you send fatgirl to take me back to Gotham. What are you going to do? Get Pennyworth to babysit me while I give him the slip and sneak out again?" She said defiantly,

Batman sadly noticed Damian had been rubbing off on her, fatgirl, Pennyworth; he seriously needed to get Dick to talk to her about this.

"Yes, you will stay in Gotham, in the house and you will not sneak out. And you will definitely not be going on that mission." He said, stating each fact as a fact so it could not be argued.

Mary saw where this was going and decided to wait patiently for an opening, "I presume fatgirl has a motorcycle?"

"It's Batgirl not fatgirl, and yes she does have a motor cycle." He stressed, rubbing his temples through the cowl.

"Please tell me I don't have to sit in a stupid side car?" She pleaded convincingly.

"You'll have to." Damian chuckled.

"Just great." She mumbled, before another person entered the room with a relieved expression on his face.

"Nightwing, head back to the Team base, Mary is getting a ride back to Gotham with Batgirl." Batman said, not even bothering to look around at his protégée.

"Mary, what were you thinking? Are you out of your mind?" He started ranting,

"Ok, dad, I get it, blah blah, bad Mary. Let it go." She said, moving her hand in a talking motion by her face for effect.

"Oh," he said coming down from his tower, "that's great then, don't do anything else stupid, got it." He said warningly.

"Got it." She repeated tight-lipped, plan in place.

"Where's everyone else?" Nightwing asked, noticing the absence of certain members.

"They're at the cave, I sent them there to explain the predicament to the Team." Batman said.

"Right, right." He said not really paying attention to anything, "Hey Robin? What happened to your face?"

"This," Robin huffed pointing to the reddening thick line across his face, "Is the result of entering the room and being thumped in the face with a juggling pin, Nightwing, would you like one to match?"

"Ha, no thanks, but you mean Mary did _that_, to _you_?" He said, pointing at the mark, making it even more obvious.

"Yes." Robin hissed in annoyance.

* * *

Batgirl had arrived to take Mary back to Gotham, and they were already near the outskirts of the city, so close to implementing her plan.

"Hey Batgirl?" She said slowly, noting to herself to take caution in this next step, if she suspected anything it would be the end of her plan.

"Yeah?" She said, looking at the long road ahead of them, as they had just officially left New York City.

"Can you turn this thing to auto pilot, I just want to talk to you about something, and I don't think it would be safe if you were steering the motorcycle?" She said, feigning sadness.

"What do you want to talk about first?" She asked warily, not really liking the kid.

"I just want to talk about my dad, and what happened on your side of things all these years." She said curiously, her hand had found what she needed inside the utility belt she stole, in her bag.

"Um, sure." Batgirl said slowly, switching the ride to auto pilot, "So, what do you want to know?"

"I just want you to know that I'm really sorry about this." Mary said, genuinely sorry for what she was about to do.

"What do y-" But she was cut off at the release of knock out gas, from the pellet Mary had found in the utility belt.

She had snuck it on her while she had been switching it to autopilot and the contact made it open and release the gas.

Carefully dragging the red head's unconscious form into the sidecar and she, herself, climbing onto the motorcycle, placing the stolen black domino mask on her face and changing down to the gear she presumed was Damian's when he first arrived here, it was still a bit big on her.

Checking the co-ordinates locked on the vehicle, she logged herself in to change it, using DNA recognition with Batgirl's finger. Changing it swiftly to the Team's headquarters she kept it on autopilot, and modified the route so they wouldn't pass through any towns that she would be arrested for underage driving.

Happy Harbor, here Mary-Aster comes.

* * *

"Why have we been called here?" Artemis asked impatiently, as she and Wally arrived at the base.

"I would like to know why as well." Raquel said from her position, "I come back from my week off and I'm called to the Team base, I'm not even part of the team!"

"Raquel, you're back!" Artemis squealed moving to hug her friend.

"Who would've thought?" She chuckled.

"Red Hood, why are we here?" Wally asked, joining the former bird, "And where's the rest of the scary bats?"

"Nice to see you too Wally," Jason shot back, "they're coming, just had to take care of an emergency."

"Alright, speak of the devil and he shall appear." He mumbled, as the computer called Nightwing's arrival.

"Wally!" He rejoiced, walking in with a spring in his step.

"Hey, what are we doing here?" He said, getting straight to the point.

"Oh, we need to wait for everyone before we can explain, but it's all good news." He said with a genuine smirk.

"Greeting's my friends." Aqualad said, joining the group, noticing the call to the cave.

"Great we can get started, Batman just said to go ahead, Batgirls on her way back to Gotham and he and Robin are being caught up in a problem in New York." Nightwing said after receiving the message from the boss.

Raquel's mind was ticking, what did he mean 'in New York'? Nothing went on in New York, and if it was connected to Zatanna that wouldn't be good.

"We think we've found Zatanna." He started, bringing up files and photos relating to the magician.

"She was kidnapped Monday of last week, and we've been given a clue as to where she might be. Two locations are possible, Central Park Zoo, or the Gotham Cemetery."

"Wait, when you mean Zatanna was kidnapped, what the _hell _do you mean? She's fine!" Raquel blurted out without thinking, eyes widening as she processed her own words in her ears.

Everyone turned to look at her in disbelief, had Raquel known Zatanna's location this whole time?

"Raquel, what do you mean 'she's fine'?" Nightwing said, annunciating each word threateningly.

"Ok, but you all have to promise not to kill me, or turn me away." She said shakily, looking at the faces of her old team plus the bats. Conner's neutral, yet slightly shocked face, M'gann's completely shocked face, Artemis' glare and hurt, Wally's disbelief, Red Robin's 'ooh-she's-in-trouble' face, Red Hood's hood, Nightwing's bat-glare and Kaldur's understanding and compassionate face.

"Six years ago, I was taking business in New York, I was walking down a path and I saw someone who looked like Zatanna across the street so I screamed her name and ran after her. We chatted for a bit, and I was quite harsh with her, she said I could still see her if I kept it a secret. I didn't want to lose her again so I agreed, and even this year I've been trying to convince her to come back, but she keeps finding an excuse to stay away." She finished, looking at Nightwing in the last statement.

"It's fine Raquel." Nightwing said unexpectedly, he was the last person she thought would forgive her.

"Really?" She said, as shocked as someone who had been electrocuted by a jellyfish.

"Really, but we need to find her now, Batgirl is on her way back to Gotham to take Mary back to a safe place a-"

"You met Mary?" She blurted out, wide eyed, "Is she ok? Is she hurt? Is she behaving?"

"You know Mary?" He stuttered out,

"Well yeah, Zee never leaves without her." Raquel said, "and why did you let Batgirl take her back to Gotham, and from where?"

"Who's Mary?" Artemis asked at the mention of an unfamiliar name.

"Zatanna's kid." Jason interjected, becoming bored, he knew this stuff already, he just wanted to go back home and sleep.

"What happened Nightwing, and why is she going _back _to Gotham?" Raquel pleaded, becoming increasingly worried for Mary.

"So long story short for _everyone._" Nightwing sighed, "Mary is Zatanna's ten year old daughter, the reason she disappeared first, she's also my kid. She found out we weren't going to let her on this mission and ran away to New York, which is where they lived, and got some stuff and was about to go to one of said locations. We stopped her, put some rules and sent her back to Gotham with Batgirl, who should be arriving back here later." He gasped, saying that whole statement in a breath.

"Wow." Wally said, shocked that his friend had a child before he did.

"Ok, ok but the point is t-"

_Recognized Batgirl B-1-6._

"I thought you said she wasn't supposed to be returning until later." M'gann pointed out,

"She was, someone come with me to check on her?" Nightwing asked, moving to go to the hangar where she would have come in with her motorcycle.

"I will." Wally volunteered, getting up and speeding to leave with Nightwing.

Once out of earshot of most of the team, though, not Conner, he spoke.

"Dude, you have a kid? When were you going to tell me?" Wally whined childishly.

"Shut up Wally." Nightwing said giving his friend a playful shove.

"Seriously though, what does she look like? More you or Zatanna? Or more Zatanna than you? Or an equal mix?" Wally wondered out loud, finding that his friend had stopped and was madly glaring at something in the entrance of the Hangar.

"Have a look for yourself." He grumbled before stalking forwards to meet the small figure getting off the motorcycle and dragging a bigger body on top.

"Mary, what are you doing?" He said sternly.

"Well, daddy dearest," the girl shot back sarcastically, "you made the stupid mistake of trusting a ten year old girl who snuck out of a three story apartment through the window, stole a utility belt from the Batcave, and has done various training regarding different things that can be adapted into different things."

"Dude this is your kid? Sweet, she's already like a ninja. Hey, what happen to Batgirl?" Wally said running forward, shocking Mary with his speed.

"Yes, and she was supposed to be in Gotham, I thought Batman told you not to sneak out again?" Nightwing said crossing his arms.

"Well," Mary said sheepishly, still supporting Batgirl on her back, "he said not to sneak out of the house, and technically we were still travelling on the motorcycle, and I came to this place."

"You drove a motor cycle? How did you even get here? And why is Batgirl unconscious?" He asked, taking his girlfriend from his daughter, carrying her bridal style.

Finally allowed to stand up properly she replied cheekily, "Uh- autopilot, DNA recognition and change of co-ordinates."

* * *

I'll try get the next chapter up soon, but I'm writing up the next chapter for my other story that I've basically neglected.

Until next time.

-The Missing X


	14. Chapter 14

I hope this isn't too long for an update, this one I'm quite happy with. Quite, not perfectly happy with it but I really don't want to scrap it and start again as I've done for a few past chapters. Thanks to everyone who reviewed and read the last chapter, and to the people who actually read the whole story, not just give up :)

**Replies to Reviews: **

missmarvelgirl: AWE! Thanks, your far too kind.

Artemis Raven Courtney: Thanks for reviewing, and liking Mary. :) I'm glad it made you laugh.

Helena Bellamuerte: Thank you for your constant support with this story, it really means a lot! :) I'm glad you like the characters and how it's going so far.

Zatanna Carrile: I'm glad you found it funny! It was kind of unintentional, but any who... Thank you for looking forward to this chapter, I hope you enjoy! :)

21 is awesome: I don't know... :) you'll just have to read and find out!

Supergirl: Thank you, for reviewing TWICE! You are too kind, far too kind. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Disclaimer: Don't own Young Justice or DC Universe.**

-The Missing X

* * *

After Mary had arrived at the headquarters with Batgirl, still unconscious, she had been pushed into the room with all the members that had been called into the cave for the special mission. She gladly thanked whoever was watching over her that Batman hadn't showed up, because he would have sent her straight back through those fancy zeta tubes.

She still had a cause to fight for; she had something she wanted- needed. Since her finding out who her dad was she felt like she finally had something to live up to, not just getting stuck in quicksand every time she tried setting foot in a new territory. Mary felt whole, not to sound cheesy, but she didn't have a missing half of her life, her circle had been competed. She found it rather ironic that it took her mum being kidnapped for her to feel whole, but she couldn't care because everything was so nearly perfect. It was just so close.

"Mary?" A startled voice let out, obviously surprised to see the girl here. But what was more was that she recognized the voice, the tone, the slight huskiness of the voice, she knew who that was.

"Aunt Rocky?" She exclaimed, staring at the lady in a grey bodysuit and a motorcycle jacket, something she would never had imagined her wearing. Motorcycle jacket? It was like she took styling tips from Jason.

"What are you doing _here_?" The aunt cried at her, if Zatanna ever found out after this she would kill anyone. Mary was never supposed to know about this, she was supposed to live a normal life, get married, have kids, and grow old without all this hero trouble. Although she was glad she had finally met her dad, because after years of crying and pleading the little girl had gotten her wish. But still, she wasn't supposed to be here.

"I could ask you the same thing, you're a hero?" Mary shouted, first her mum, her dad and his side of the family, all these weird people, including the floating green girl and really fast man earlier. All she needed now was to get superpowers and fly to the moon.

"Mary, take that mask off now." Raquel demanded in a tone that simply could not be argued with.

Complying grumpily, Mary tore the mask off her face, rubbing the areas that felt compressed. Effectively startling the band of heroes at the blue eyes she possessed, as they had only known Nightwing to have that shade of blue.

"There's nothing wrong with it, at least I can hide my face." She grumbled grudgingly, seeing her aunt for the first time since their weekend and being greeted by the hard steel hero. Already making a snide remark about her aunt's hero gear, and Rauqel was suddenly reminded how much like Dick she actually was.

"What are you doing here?" Raquel all but screamed at her. Quite distraught at the sight of her niece in a shadows ninja get up, with a utility belt strapped to her.

"Would you like the short or long story?" Mary joked with a small smirk.

Waiting for a reply would get neither of them anywhere, so Artemis took that time to interrupt the moment to find out what was going on, for those who were completely out of the picture.

"Sorry, Raquel," Artemis apologized, "who is this? And why are you Aunt Rocky?"

"Artemis, everyone," Raquel said, pitting the introductions on herself, "This is Mary-Aster. Mary, most of the original team, who fought alongside your mum."

Mary didn't know what to think, her mum had some _weird _friends for sure.

"Hi." She squeaked out, finding herself in a really awkward situation. Everyone, minus Red Hood and Red Robin, was looking at her, and she found it extremely uncomfortable. Like being under than unnecessarily bright light at the dentist.

"Mary." A quite, unwavering voice cut through, the air around them seemed thicker and a lot more serious.

Batman had arrived.

"What are you doing here?" Was the first thing that he asked her, but giving her no time to answer the first question he cut in and asked, "Where are Batgirl and Nightwing?"

She chuckled nervously, "They're in the infirmary."

"And _what_ are they doing in the infirmary?" He hissed out, with Robin moving over to join the two former birds, not wanting to be in the firing line when Batman explodes.

"Batgirl's unconscious." She popped out, rocking back on and forth on her feet.

His eyes just narrowed, "Come with me. Robin, Red Hood, Red Robin you need to come too."

It was like a family reunion; only this one wasn't going to be as cheery. The senior heroes shot Mary 'you-should-be-scared-for-your-life' look, but she paid no mind to it. She was going to stand up for what she believed in, not matter the cost. Unless it was really pointless and she would lose stupidly rather than win fairly.

Lagging behind Robin she stole a glance at her aunt to find her slightly teary, seeing she needed a bit of a reminder as to who she was, she stopped for a bit and looked over her shoulder, flashing a wide smirk she laughed out loud and then rounded the corner.

Leaving everyone in a stunned silence. Déjà vu settling in, taking them all back to the first boy wonder when he held the mantle of Robin.

* * *

Batgirl had thankfully woken up, and not been permanently comatose as Mary had been scared of.

But now she faced an even harsher obstacle, convincing Batman and her dad to let her go on the mission.

"Mary," Nightwing's voice rang out, "Do you have anything to say to Batgirl?"

Expecting the younger to apologise everyone was shocked when all she did was stare at him innocently, like the perfect child on show. Jason compared it to a horror film, when the child acts all innocent and nice then turns into a mass murderer because they couldn't get chocolate or something.

"I've already said sorry." She purred, feeling the urge to smirk again, but having to smack it back down to keep her face neutral.

"No you haven't." Batgirl scoffed, looking at the trouble of her life with annoyance.

"Yes, I did." Mary corrected, "Right before I gassed you, I said I was _very _sorry."

Chowing down the information, Batgirl couldn't help but get even more aggravated with the girl. She was the reason she was losing her hold on Dick, she was the reason she was here in the infirmary, and her attitude and carelessness was what aggravated her the most about Mary. She had no sense of self-awareness, in fight or flight sense Mary had no flight impulse, it was simply fight. It was endangering, arrogant, annoying and a pain in her ashtray.

"Mary, you need to get it in your thick skull that you aren't invincible." She all but screamed at the now scowling girl, "You can't jump into dangerous situations like your Superman. We can do this because we're trained to do this. We are taught how to handle situations we could come across. You aren't! You haven't been trained, you wouldn't know what to do once we get out on the field and it won't be safe. It won't be safe for civilians around, for the team, or for anyone else. It's not safe, and it's not healthy to keep going against what we know is safe for you."

Mary swallowed thickly, standing back up and glaring at Batgirl, but Batgirl wasn't going to actually admit that the glare had scared her.

"So you don't care for my safety?" She said coyly, doing what she had been known to do best with her mum, avoid the main point, yet still attacking the argument.

It was more of a mind game the more she thought about it, she was steering the conversation a different direction without the other person knowing. And she found it awfully funny when the other person realised they were talking about something totally unrelated to the first topic.

"Of course I do, you just can't jump into dangerous situations like that." Batgirl huffed,

"But you said, and I quote, it's not safe, it won't be safe for civilians around, the team or anyone else." Mary seethed, reaching into the belt clamped around her waist bringing out what she was pretty sure was a smoke bomb and rolling them around in her fingers, careful not to break them open. "As far as I know, anyone else isn't specific, you never mentioned my safety."

Barbara had been stumped, she couldn't form a proper response to the accusation, it was partially true. The hero in her did worry greatly for her safety, but her personal side worried a lot less. But she was still a living girl, no life should be taken away or harmed, but it couldn't hurt if she got a bit injured so she could finally get why safety and training is so important.

"Mary, that's beside the point." Batman said, bringing the conversation back on track, seeing through Mary's mind games. He admitted she was clever, definitely more so than Dick at this age, maybe she was at Damian's level of intellectuality, but she was ten and still very immature. "The point is, you endangered yourself and Batgirl, and have constantly shown to have no regard for your own safety, which is important."

She just smirked back, if they wouldn't let her go, she would try and find her own way. But she probably would have a super stuck to her now. "I'm guessing you're not letting me on the mission." She said, seeing if she could still go. Mary was smart not cocky, she knew when to give up and retreat, no matter what the company around her had to say about it.

"Absolutely not." Nightwing stuck in, moving into a protective stance, one that Damian, Jason and Tim knew all too well. "You will be staying here, not on the mission. And when we get back, I expect you to be here, no trouble. Do you understand?"

Everyone in their room held their breaths, Nightwing had basically told her that she was supposed to be useless and stay here, while everyone else went out to rescue her mum.

"Fine." She relented, she knew a lost cause when she saw one, and she knew when to fight. Her time wasn't yet, not according to her _dad_ anyway. She really didn't see a reason for Damian, Tim or Jason to tag along, but hey, she did love audiences. It's what made performing so much fun, everyone had their eyes on you and basically marvelled at the neat little tricks you could do. Kind of the same here, but with a little less wow factor and a lot more seriousness.

"Good," Batman said, "You can come to the mission briefing, but I want you to stay here afterwards. You'll have two people guarding you, so don't try anything."

Great, babysitters.

She rolled her eyes very obviously so they would know how she left about it without having to tell them.

"What time is it now?" Red Hood jumped in, getting up from his seat and stretching. He really thought the whole thing was hilarious.

Mary was a very fiery person, she was also smart which was something to be noted for her age, and most importantly, she had actually left a bruise on Damian's face. He had barely stifled a laugh when he got a good look at the bruise, stretching from the top left of his forehead going to the end of his right cheekbone. It had been swelling and now it was a bright pinky purple. That was an accomplishment in itself.

"Around three. We should be heading back out." Tim sighed; he had been monitoring Mary for a while, and had become interested in her since the fork incident. It was like a scientist and an experiment, he would observe and make notes, of course, he did this with everyone. But some things he noticed about Mary was that she was very open, but extremely closed.

It had taken him a while but he finally understood, she acted innocent and confident in their presence but her true face was hidden behind all that jazz, she was just a normal girl who wants her mum back. She was in fact, extremely insightful and smart for her age, and had deduced Batman's identity on first meeting with him. She was definitely living up to the second part of her first name.

He found that no matter what situation she was in she was always, as Dick would have put it, feeling the aster.

Damian had instantly liked Mary as soon as she had flung that fork at Tim, intentional or not, he loved her for it. He had been guiding her around before that, telling her names of people, although being sure to use their specific nicknames, Pennyworth for Alfred, fatgirl for Batgirl, so on.

She was smart, and didn't get confused when he talked about something, like so many delinquents at his school; he had to dumb it down for them. He was occasionally asked questions about what a word means or why do people think like that, but he didn't mind, it just made him appreciate his higher intelligence more.

Mary was now like his sister, although it was more of a uncle and follower relationship it was their nevertheless. But he had been bruised, literal and fugitive sense, after she had actually landed the strongly swung pin he had been kicking himself about how he got beat up by a ten year old girl.

* * *

The silence in the room was cut quickly when Wally blurted out, "She looks a whole like Zatanna."

Murmurs of agreement had rung out and they couldn't stop themselves from gossiping. The ladies had immediately turned to Raquel for more insight on the little girl, while the males had talked quietly while eavesdropping on details they could learn from Raquel.

It was like they all hadn't aged like Connor and were sixteen again, unable to help themselves as they devoured in the gossip and rumours.

"She's got his eyes." Artemis pointed out, in a non-creepy way.

"She does," Raquel hummed in agreement, "When I first met her, I didn't need to ask Zee. Besides the fact that she hadn't been in a relationship with anyone but him, it was so obvious it was Dick's kid, and it was obvious he had no clue."

M'gann agreed, "If he had known he would have done everything to provide for her. But I feel so bad for him, ya' know?" She sighed sadly; "He missed out the important memories, first word, first steps, first day at school. Seeing my little boy walk for the first time was like reliving my first flight. He won't experience that, and he never will if he doesn't have another kid."

They knew she was right, as parents you want to be their for your baby, no matter what they wee apart of you, and only the cold hearted turned down their own kids, or the ones who could see past their own gains and needs.

"She's like a ninja." Wally gasped, "Do you know how she got here?"

The boys waited for his answer eagerly, Wally had been telling them about how protective Dick was over Mary, he didn't need to ask it was there.

"She gassed Batgirl on the motorcycle and locked the thing into autopilot to get here, she was supposed to be grounded in Gotham but she snuck out at three in the morning to get to New York, the Bats found her and Batgirl was tasked with bringing her back to Gotham." He rushed, it was such a good story but what made it better was he added in a few of his own tweaks just to make it even better, "There was a sidecar and everything, and she just gassed out _Batgirl._"

Kaldur frowned, it seemed she disregarded her safety and proven to be difficult. She would need some guarding if she weren't to get what she wants. But he could not help but be impressed by her skill, or more so the fact that Raquel had kept a secret this big for so long.

Connor laughed, only he could find it absolutely hilarious. A ten-year-old girl had taken out Batgirl without using physical violence. Batgirl was one of the heroes feared in Gotham, mainly by the female villains, but she had been taken out in a few easy steps.

"Raquel," Kaldur called, walking to stand in front of his partner, "is she trained?"

Honestly Raquel didn't know how to answer it, she was trained but not superhero trained. Mary had, as she always knew, the qualities and ability to become a crime fighter, but with her mum it was never an option.

"Well, she's trained but she's not trained." She tried, biting her lip after she heard how weird it sounded out loud.

"So she knows how to fight?" Artemis asked worriedly, god, she would hate it if her kid knew how to fight at the age of ten.

"She does martial arts, and has been for most of her life, mastered a few practices and has competed nationally. She's won a few things as well." Raquel says, trying to make it seem more domesticated than it was.

"So Zatanna was ok with her fighting?" M'gann asked, she didn't peg Zatanna for the physical violence type of girl.

"No, Zatanna only got her started when she was young because she was scared some old enemy would find her and she wanted Mary to be able to defend herself. Mary just kept on going to the point where she couldn't quit because she was so widely known"

Connor asked one question that could have changed their views on Mary, "Is she trained in anything else?"

Everyone held their breaths, everything was about this girl now, the mission their conversation, the reason they were even gossiping in the first place.

"Gymnastics and Circus Arts." Raquel automatically replies, she was proud of Mary for being so good at what she loved, and she wasn't going to hold back the pride. "She does circus arts as a branch off from gym. But she's very serious when it comes to gym; she's in the national youth team. And being in that team, and the youngest, means she has to train everyday, and sometimes her hours are absolutely ridiculous, but she gets everything done no matter what."

Wally let out a low whistle, of course a child of Dick's was doing to be talented, and then adding Zatanna's genes it was inevitable that their child be a god amongst others.

A silent chill entered the room, signalling the arrival of the Caped Crusader and his crew.

"Mission briefing." Batman ordered as he floated into the room, his cape and followers trailing behind him just as graceful.

Batgirl went straight to her friends who welcomed her back with open arms; everyone else just huddled around the computer, which had been there through the duration of the break.

"Team, you will be working in squads of four." He started, "Nightwing, Wally, Raquel, M'gann you are Alpha. You will be searching the Central Park Zoo exhibit 'Underneath the Earth'. Batgirl, Artemis, Superboy, Aqualad you are Beta squad and will be searching the perimeter of the exhibit, acting as backup if it is needed. Myself, Robin, Red Hood and Red Robin will be searching Gotham Cemetery. Head out in ten minutes."

Mary's hand immediately shot up, "Am I just staying here alone?"

They were all being deployed and there was no outcasts, therefore no one to stay with her at the cave.

"Negative, two members of the League, Green Arrow and Black Canary, are arriving shortly to look after you." Batman reported, still with a mission manor.

She scoffed and slumped, she knew for a fact, with all the talk her dad had been babbling on about, that Green Arrow and Black Canary were a couple. An old blonde couple who had colours that suited each other, how gross. The thought of hanging out with a lovey-dovey couple made her feel sick, she had already had to listen to her dad and his dragon like girlfriend make out very, _very_ loudly and in no way did she want to listen to it again.

"Goodie." She shot out sarcastically, leaving the group to head to the kitchen, she was starving. Understandable since she hadn't eaten since her snack before leaving at three in the morning. So as she dug through the fridge at anything she could heat up and eat she couldn't help but feel more and more hungry.

* * *

"Mary?" Her dad's voice softly said, over time she had noticed that her dad and Nightwing were nearly two different people. They were similar, but they were different people, Nightwing was a lot more serious than dad, and dad was a tad more protective than Nightwing.

"What dad?" She sighed turning around to face him, shutting the fridge and leaning against it.

"I just want to make sure you're ok. I know you want to go on that mission but we can't- I can't- risk your safety on the chance we may be getting Zatanna back, you're too important to let go of." He said, kneeling down at arms length and putting his hands on her shoulders.

"You say her name like it's the last time you'll ever say it." She whispered fearfully, unable to hold the tears back, silently falling down her cheeks.

"I say it like that because I haven't seen her in _eleven years._" He chuckled sadly, "You never know when it's the last time you'll see someone you love."

Mary slammed into him, snaking her arms around his neck and crushing him in a hug that he gladly returned.

"Don't leave me." She pleaded, her body shaking at the tidal wave of emotion sweeping through her.

"Never, _never._" He whispered, "I'll never leave you Mary-Aster."

"Promise?" She said pulling away and holding her pinky out, giving her a warm smile and interlocking his own pinky with hers he said, "I promise."

She laughed at the childish gesture, but it was something she had been doing ever since she was five, when she really wanted something from her mum it was straight to a pinky swear, but she never did it with anyone else. It was solely reserved for her mum.

"Bring mum back." She whispered as he rode to his feet to go, as Wally was calling him.

"I can't guarantee we'll get her back, but I will try my very best." He swore, tearing at the sound of her final plea.

"That's all I can ask for."

* * *

So... Hope you liked, review and keep reading!

-The Missing X


	15. Chapter 15

Sorry for such a wait! I just got back to school and I'm already behind on homework... I hope this is alright for you, it's extremely rushed so don't expect million dollar work. But I do hope you like it, and I'm so sorry again!

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**Disclaimer: Don't own Young Justice or DC Universe.**

-The Missing X

* * *

Black Canary and Green Arrow had arrived at the cave, via zeta tubes, just after the team had left for the mission. Introducing themselves as Black Canary and Green Arrow, she had rolled her eyes at that and put on a showcase smile. This was going to be like playing around with the people at school who actually knew she existed.

But as the minutes crept past, and the seconds flew by she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease, time for her had slowed down to an agonising stand still; her world was falling into the dark chasms of despair. She didn't know if her dad was going to find her mum, or even bring her back. They were acting on her facts and information and if that information was wrong- she was wrong, their effort would have been for nothing.

Dinah strode into her room, almost as if she was on a runway, the confidence that oozed out of her was hard to miss, but as soon as she saw little Mary sitting on the couch her heart went out to her, "So Mary," Black Canary rounded, taking in the young girls appearance.

She looked like Zatanna, which scared her quite a lot; she wore a ninja get up- presumably from Damian. Her hair had been roughly tied up into a ponytail at the crown of her head. She also noticed Mary was quite small, short and skinny compared to some other ten year olds.

"Do you want to watch the team train?" The senior hero asked, as she had not just been called down to look after Mary, Nightwing's absence, and the absence of any other senior members meant that the team had no trainer. So being the first trainer she had been called in, and asked to bring Green Arrow along. Something about shoot long range if the girl escaped? She didn't know.

But with the question Mary was quite surprised, she thought the team had already left for the mission. Which was why she had two babysitters from the League.

"I thought the team was on the mission." She said, confusion covering every inch of her face. The same team she had just met earlier. Black Canary laughed and realised something; she must be thinking the team that just left was the team.

"Mary, the team you met earlier are the first team that came through." Dinah explained cheerfully, "The team started in 2010, and since then we've had new recruit come in and out. The team you saw was most of the members that started the whole business; your dad when he was still Robin, Wally when he was still Kid Flash, Tempest who Batman still calls Aqualad, Miss Martian, Superboy and Artemis. Your mum and Rocket joined later on in the year, but since then we've got a new team with even more heroes."

Soaking that news in she frowned, there were more? No wonder people like Geoffrey Gordon didn't like them, it was like an invasion! Meta-humans galore, she was probably in the hub of all the younger meta humans.

"Do I have to wear the mask?" She asked, she guessed that most of the team might not know who Nightwing was, just from Batman and his secrets.

"No, you don't. But just don't say your dad's Nightwing if it comes up ok? I have orders from Batman and your dad not for you to tell them." Black Canary said, half apologetically, "If anyone asks who your dad is say Dick Grayson."

Mary nodded, "Got it, mum's mum and dad's dad."

"Good. Does that mean your coming?" Green Arrow interrupted. Earning a glare from both Black Canary and Mary, shrinking away from the strong front he put his arms up in surrender.

"Yes," Mary said answering his question, "Are you two a couple?" She asked, noticing the stolen looks and smiles given here and there.

They were startled at the bluntness and preciseness she showed when she asked it, it was like she already knew but just wanted them to know she knew.

"We are." Green Arrow said proudly, pulling Black Canary by the waist into his side and giving her a big, sloppy kiss. Mary laughed at the gesture, Black Canary pretended to look repulsed by him.

She felt so comfortable here, not specifically with the duo, but the whole atmosphere around here. It wasn't cramping like so many places she's been to, there's no pressure for her to do well and win everything. But she always liked a challenge, and a new one had just presented itself on a silver platter.

Her gears started turning, ideas popping up into her mind, random tangents of thoughts and people. They both looked familiar, she was good with faces. Once she saw one she would never forget, it was a talent she had discovered when travelling to different gym meets.

She liked to know what she was up against, and she knew everyone in her division, age group, apparatus, she even knew their parents.

"Where are you from Green Arrow?" Mary asked with a small smirk, studying tabloids had helped apparently. Keeping up with celebrity news had gotten her somewhere now, unlike what her mum said.

"Star City, why?" He answered, confused as to where this was going, one second they were talking about relationships and the next where he was stationed.

Mary thought, famous people in Star City; mayor, Star Labs chief, Queen Industries company in general, Queen Industries was owned and run by Oliver Queen. Oliver Queen who knew Bruce Wayne, and had done worked on a few technological projects, Bruce Wayne was the Batman, which meant Queen has to have a connection, or past connection, to that. Also Oliver Queen had a ridiculous goatee.

Bingo.

"Just figuring out something, _Queeny_." She smirked victoriously. Basking in her findings, that were once again, correct, as Green Arrow started chocking on air, furiously thumping himself in the chest to clear the pipes, while Black Canary just stood eyes so wide she could have been mistaken for an owl.

Green Arrow finally calmed down and stared arrows into her eyes, "Ok, kid. Not funny." He growled, for reasons unknown, "How did you find out?"

She couldn't help cut give an innocent smile, ticking another box off in her head. He basically just told her. This was much more fun than being at school, which was where she was supposed to be.

Jen would have been so jealous that she had a better dad than she did. Jen, it just sent shivers down her spine, Jen, who had tormented her about her heritage and dad since they had met. Jen, who now would be incredibly jealous that she was daughter to Dick Grayson and Zatanna Zatara. Shaking the thoughts of the horrid witch from her mind she returned to the current debacle.

"You live in Star City. Well-known people who reside in Star City include Queen Industries owner Oliver Queen. Oliver Queen is well acquainted with Bruce Wayne, as they have both done projects together. Bruce Wayne is Batman making Oliver Queen and obvious candidate for Green Arrow. You just told me when you asked how I knew, and the goatee is really obvious." She said, looking at Green Canary with a raised eyebrow.

Turning her attention to Black Canary she thought of anyone involved with Oliver Queen, or who would willingly stand next to him in public.

"Which makes you," she said, pointing to the blonde woman, "Dinah Lance, makes sense. Your mother was the first Black Canary, no Canary Cry. You, as your identity, are in a, very public, relationship with Oliver Queen AKA Green Arrow."

Black Canary was certainly impressed; no one had ever figured it out that quickly. The only people capable of finding that out faster than her would be Batman, Nightwing and perhaps Red Robin, who had always been the detective Robin.

"Are you always like this?" Oliver blurted out, he may be getting old but he could still agitate.

"Actually, yes." Mary widely smiled, "But you make it too easy. The goatee is really obvious, and the fact you have a red headed ward. Roy Harper? Is it safe to assume he was your first partner as Speedy?"

She had heard much about the hotheaded red head. Even though he was 'his own person' now, they still linked him widely with Oliver Queen, different scandals, different news and different people. They say he's tempered, impulsive, has a kid and can be kind. She didn't really care though, she thought it was hilarious that two rich people were heroes.

"I don't have to tell you anything." He quickly snipped after a momentary silence of shock.

"Mary, why don't we head over to the training room now." Black Canary suggested, "You can meet the team."

Mary was excited- she would be lying if she said she didn't want to meet them. She loved heroes, not that she told anyone, but she loved the fact that they could do the smallest things to help but make the biggest difference.

"Sure." She said excitedly, not even attempting to, as Batman put it, 'mask her emotions'.

Watching a team of heroes train- super powered heroes- train, it was like a dream come true. Like going to Disneyland for the first time, or eating ice cream for the first time, or just dreaming for the first time. It was like she had found her heaven.

* * *

_"Zoned in, zoo closed. Move forward. Security has been disrupted around the whole zoo for two hours. We get in, find what we can and get out. Is that clear?"_ Batman's voice rang out through the communicators.

He was opperating from Gotham, on his own mission, yet he was still as involved with the one in New York as much as he was in Gotham. It was very unnerving.

Red Robin breathed out, missions with the whole family and senior members of the team involved meant business. But then again, when did it not? But this, this was different, it was as if they were fighting for the life of one of their own.

Everyone was deadly quite, Red Hood had actually shut up for once. Robin was being withdrawn, and had reverted back to ten-year-old pompous brat. Nightwing had been on edge, more than usual. And Batgirl, Batgirl had just been a bit too quite, when he approached her about it she simply looked at him and then walked away.

He did feel for her though, her whole world was being tipped upside down.

Finally after swinging through trees and shadows, playing keep away with them, he saw where the bats and birds were heading, Gotham Cemetery. No matter how many times he had come to evaluate scenes here it never lost the first time eire feeling.

He hated it here, just because it felt like he was being watched from all points. He didn't like it.

_I hope your feeling better in New York..._

* * *

Nightwing stood, shocked, flanked by his squad.

They had followed a tunnel straight to a chamber, he didn't know what to expect at that point. But Rocket had pointed out the absolute creepiness in the fact that all down the tunnel, panels of pictures that followed each other in a chronological order told the story of Snow White.

But as soon as they had opened the chamber they were hit with tidal waves of emotion. Miss Martian and Rocket had sprung forward towards the body laying on a bed in the middle of the chamber.

A stream of light from the roof encasing her in the illusion of sleep and majesty. The pruned flowers planted neatly around her body, as if she were laying a bed made of the most beautiful nature. Her raven coloured hair placed neatly, waves cascading downwards, her lids shut with no sigh of movement from her slumber, or death.

He didn't know what to think anymore, she looked so peaceful, so home, so _wrong_.

Everything about the set up sent a shiver down his spine, Wally didn't look too good beside him either.

"Dick." His best friend whispered out in complete shock, "Zatanna."

It was the one word that he still couldn't face, the name, the story, the pain. But here trapped in what looked like suspended animation was Zatanna. She looked older, more mature, and if possible, more beautiful. He couldn't help but find the smallest differences fascinating. It intrigued him, but shaking the thoughts out of his head he resumed to the hero he was.

"M'gann, can you levitate her out of here?" He asked, "We need to get her to the bioship and back to base ASAP."

Already moving out of the room, he faintly heard the yes M'gann had replied with. /p

One thought lingered in his mind, planting a seed of doubt that he knew would not be ripped out easily, _what do I do now?_

* * *

The team were amazing.

Mary absolutely loved the team. She had met Beast Boy, Kid Flash, Bumblebee, Wonder Girl, Guardian, Lagoon Boy, even the speedster twins, who were around her age, they weren't allowed on missions, but were allowed to train with the team. The way they moved with each other was like watching an artist cover a canvas, each move was placed to perfection and balance, they synchronisation of the team was obvious as soon as they had walked in.

Black Canary was training them into the perfect soldiers for battle, like they were going out into war they weren't coming back from. But nevertheless it was a sight to behold.

Admittedly her favourite part of the whole experience was watching them go at acrobatics, because honestly she knew what they could improve one, but she had to bite her tongue, she didn't want to be rude.

The one on one sparring was also intense, all abilities were allowed and the way they incorporated the new moves their trainer had taught them into the fight was incredible. She envied them so much then, they had all the power in the world, opportunities open to them, and the public heroes of America, while she was being forced to hide her face, she didn't like it one bit.

"Mary, right?" Gar, Beast Boy approached her with a kind smile.

"Yes?" She said, surprised that he would try talking to her.

"Black Canary said your Zatanna's kid, I- uh- knew her. Before she went away." He said awkwardly scratching the back of his neck.

She didn't really know how to respond, but she didn't have to. The computer announced the arrival of someone in the hangar, and before she could think about what she was doing she raced down the hallway that would take her straight to where she wanted to go.

As she skidded to a stop, her hair, which she had left out, flew in her face from the momentum. Darting her eyes around, she could see the Gotham squad had arrived back, one squad from the zoo had come back. But there was no sign of the martian ship that her dad was on.

"Where's dad?" She called out, startling everyone, who were looking at the entrance of the hangar, expecting something to come flying in.

Batgirl was the only one to break away and move towards Mary. "He's coming," she said soothingly, a hand placed on Mary's shoulder.

"They found her." Mary whispered? The tears welling in her eyes, eyelashes picking up the falling tears.

"They did Mary, but she might not be like what you expect." Batgirl swallowed, from what the squad had heard back from them it was still confusing. They sounded distressed and relieved all in one, it confused the heck out of them, but they were told to head back to prepare for their arrival.

"What do you mean she might not be what I expect?" Mary said, her voice dangerously low and shaky. Fits balled at her sides.

Batgirl sucked her lips in, and exhaled slowly, "Mary, they found your mum. We don't know what happened but we were sent here in front."

Mary's mind was racing at the pace of her heart, which was almost flatlining. They found her, they actually found her. Which meant her information was right after all, but Batgirl said she might not be okay. She couldn't stop herself from fearing the absolute worst. Her mum could be worse than kidnapped, she could be _gone_.

That alone was a scary thought.

* * *

Zatanna felt light, like she had been given the power to fly all the time. Her wings let her soar through the motions, but she was trapped to see her own body suffering. Everyday she had been waiting for something to change, anything to happen... someone to save her. But no one came after a while.

That was before today.

She had heard the footsteps before her chamber, and her heart fluttered. Someone was about to come in, and she didn't care who it was at this point, just as long as she got out and was free.

But the last person she would have expected was Nightwing, Wally, Rocket and Miss Martian. If they were here, what did that say? But she was mesmerised, they looked older, wiser, sharper, dare she say, more mature.

But as the two females rushed to her body, she couldn't keep her eyes off of Nightwing... Dick.

The last time she had seen him he was a boy, now, he was a man. A lot has changed in everyone, physical and emotional.

But she couldn't help the lift in her heart when she looked at him, it was like looking into a mirror of what could have happened, would have, if she hadn't gone away. A beautiful family, a loving partner, a solid gig as a hero, surrounded by friends and accepted in her community.

Being trapped in her thoughts she barely had time before the image blurred around her and she found herself standing in the middle of the bioship.

Nothing had changed here, the layout was still the same, the commander sitting ever so vigilant and the chairs that would strap you in without a moments notice were still the same.

Looking out the window she could see Happy Harbour approaching. Looking out to the island where the mountain was formerly located, she couldn't help but gasp at what was her former home. It had been wiped out of existence, a moment of nostalgia passed over her, she was home, but it wasn't the same. Things had been lost, things she would never get back.

Another picture faded and showed her the present.

She was standing in the middle of the hangar. Watching the chaos move through her. The rushing bodies, aching cries and howling screams. Her eyes scanned the area, trying to make sense of the screaming and shouting.

_"NO!" Mary screamed, rushing forward towards her body that was being levitated by M'gann. _

Mary.

Zatanna rushed to her daughter, and tried to tell her. _"Mary, I'm here. I'm here. I'm here."_ But she couldn't hear her, Zatanna couldn't even hear herself.

_But before Mary reached Miss Martian Robin flew in and hauled her back, but the adrenalin coursing through Mary's veins was more than enough to rip her arm out of his grasp and continue making her way forwards._

Zatanna just stood in shock, not ever had she seen Mary act so ferocious. She thought her daughter was one for the softer side of life, not really, but she didn't think it would come to this. And she had a utility belt starpped around her! Who would let her carry that thing?

_"Mum!" Mary screamed, being strong armed by Robin, Red Hood and a sympathetic Wally. "NO! MUM! MUM!"_

Zatanna couldn't take it anymore, she was desperately trying to find a way out, her body had been shifted, why hadn't she? She couldn't bear to see Mary hurting so much, why wasn't she being taken away?

_"Zatanna..."_A familiar voice sounded, _"You've found you're home, I guess this is where my torment ends."_

Zatanna shifted slightly, trying to find the source of the voice, the voice of her captor, the voice of Enchantress.

_"We'll meet each other again soon, be warned. I will show no mercy." _

And like that her world went black.

* * *

"Mary control yourself!" Jason shouted over the girls screams, she was thrashing around in the lock the three heroes had her in, not without any pain though.

"My mum!" She kept screaming, pulling on her arms, and trying to move forward, "That's my mum! I have to see her!"

"Mary." A loud booming voice silenced them. Leaving everyone dazed that it came out of Red Robin, "She's fine, we just have to get her stabilised."

Stabilised? That wasn't good was it? How could she get out? How?

She was too small to use strength, too little to use size and to light to use weight. But any being, no matter what size, could use momentum. /p

She let herself relax for a moment, making the others think she was giving up. As if.

Pouncing and flipping herself backwards to land on Robin's head, knocking him down from the force of the land and push off, she raced to the end of the hall. She was nearly there./p

_I'm coming mum..._

But at the sound of a gas bomb being released she looked down to find a pellet stuck to her and emmitting gas, and fast. She quickly pulled it off and got her gears in motion to run for it. But she could hear the clear command slicing through the air.

"Raquel! Contain her!" Red Robin shouted, running in.

And before she knew it, she was encased in a bubble of space technology. Pounding on her cage, trying to find a way out, the gas started filling the area. The green fog surrounded her and she felt herself getting light headed.

_Come on, Mary. Keep going._

She continued pounding on the sphere until the corners of her vision began to go black, and her muscles relaxed unwillingly. She screamed in frustration in one last push to get out, and then...

Blackness.

* * *

So... What did you think of my third rate writing? I hope you guys enjoyed reading it, and don't be shy to leave a review! I promise I'll get the next chapter to you in a week! Pinky swear!

Until next time...

-The Missing X


	16. Chapter 16

Sorry for the week long wait! I really am! School has started back up and I am literally counting the seconds until term break. It's horrible. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter, it's a lot more family orientated than most of the other chapters.

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* * *

_Beep…Beep…Beep…_

Mary couldn't comprehend anything for a brief second, in her haze nothing felt right. Where was she? _Who_ was she? Why was everything so foggy.

She could remember brief snippets of the moments before, rage… anger… hurt…tiredness… green fog… a blue bubble…darkness.

Darkness seemed like her friend, someone to hold onto when the times got tough, then why was they darkness pushing her away? _No! _She wanted to stay like this forever- she could stay like this forever. But the darkness was leaving her. Why was it leaving her? She needs it now, why would her friend abandon her? The darkness was far away now, so why was it still dark? She couldn't see anything, had she gone blind?

Where was she? _Who _was she? Why was everything so foggy?

* * *

"Her body's shutting down," Red Robin cried, picking Mary up off the floor and running towards the infirmary, "We need to get her stabilized, call Nightwing."

She was so small, if the situation wasn't so dire, he would have thought she was sleeping. But checking over her vital signs was a reminder, no- she wasn't sleeping, she was shutting down. Like a wall being built over a city so residents couldn't get out.

Her heart rate was decreasing alarmingly, her breathing getting shallower and her muscles her loosening. Not good.

Getting her on the bed, and administering the apparatus he knew who to use, he hooked her up to the heart monitor, put an oxygen mask over her face and rushed around trying to find something he couldn't remember- why couldn't he remember?

"Nightwing can't come." Rocket yelled, as she entered the room, he's busy stabilizing Zatanna. There's a toxin in her bloodstream, Batman's on his way."

"Help me get her stabilized." He said, still fumbling around trying to remember what to do.

Raquel nodded and got straight to work, trying to keep a calm composure like Red Robin was, not fall to pieces and ball up on the floor.

Checking her vital signs again, Tim visibly relaxed when her heart rate was picking up and becoming regular again, but her breathing hadn't changed at all. Instead of breathing normally she was still breathing shallowly and far too slowly for it to be normal.

It must have been in the gas, her lungs must have taken in too much of the gas and are having trouble getting rid of it. Dammit, what gas did he use?

Turning the oxygen level up in hopes it would push all the excess gas in her lungs out. Sure enough with the oxygen pumping in, a thick green fog escaped her mouth, being released through the small holes in the mask.

Rocket's eyes widened, "What is that?" She said, pointing to the gas exiting Mary's mouth.

"That is the knock out gas we used, some of it got caught or something, now it's coming out." He said bravely, while feeling queasy himself.

Just then Batman came striding in, his cape flying behind him.

"What's the problem?" He immediately said, eyeing the still form of Mary on the gurney, strapped to a heart monitor and oxygen mask.

"Just a scare," Tim sighed, "she'll be okay. How's Zatanna?"

Batman inwardly sighed, "Good, we don't know what the toxin is yet, but she's stable and breathing fine."

Raquel made her way past Batman to go check on her best friend, "Excuse me."

_Beep…beep…beep…_

The beeps of Mary's heart ran through, loud and clear, the only thing that kept them from assuming the worst.

"She'll be ok?" Batman asked, still unsure of how okay she really was.

"She'll be okay." Tim exhaled, he hoped she would really be ok, but not everything went your way.

* * *

Seventy seven minutes and counting. That was how long Dick had been sitting between the two hospital beds, spending on minute watching Zatanna, then the next observing Mary. It was unnerving to him to think that he could lose a family he had no idea he had so soon. The former flame and his child, both looked like they were being taken by death.

It also unnerved him to find that sitting between these two females, how similar they looked. Mother and daughter, Mary shared half his DNA but it looked like she had been a perfect genetic clone of Zatanna when she was asleep. The only thing to remind him she was his kid was her eyes. She had his eyes, a shade of blue that wasn't dark, but wasn't light- it was like the in between, he supposed. Maybe he would give more thought to it another day, another time, when his family, but not family, was falling apart.

The first thing Mary heard was the annoying beep she had heard about. Now she knew why people always complained about hospitals- the beeping was intolerable. But she wasn't in a hospital; opening her eyes she realized that this was definitely not the hospital. Where was she then?

The last thing she remembered was green fog and anger, sadness and hurt. But why? She remembered her mum had come back, she remembered wanting to go help, she remembered people holding her down, she remembered all these things, but she couldn't remember- it was just so foggy in her mind.

The in take of breath brought Dick out of his thoughts, alerting him to the awakening of Mary.

"Dad?" She croaked out, her mouth dry from lack of fluids.

"Thank god your okay." He relieved, bringing her up into a hug, being careful not to accidentally hurt her.

"Why wouldn't I be okay?" She chuckled, a hand going to her throat, rubbing it slightly. Dick took that as a cue to grab the all ready prepared glass of water beside her. She took it graciously and emptied the glass as soon as it reached her lips.

"You nearly died." He whispered, rubbing a hand through her hair, looking at her intently. The whites of his masks meeting her widened eyes.

"What do you mean, 'I nearly died'?" She said, her eyes darting back and forth to try and seep through the hero's defenses.

"Mary," he explained, "What's the last thing you remember?"

Her brow furrowed slightly, she remembered patches, but it all felt like it was a memory. "I remember being held down because I wanted to get somewhere I wasn't allowed to." She said slowly.

"Mary, we found Zatanna." He said, looking dead straight into her eyes, whether she could tell or not.

"Where's mum?" She rushed, shooting up to get off the bed, impulsively acting without thinking.

"She's here," he said, pointing to the bed behind him and moving out of the way so she could see.

Mary look one look and had no doubt that the woman on the bed was her mum, she looked like she was sleeping, like nothing had gone wrong, she hadn't been taken, she hadn't missed her- it was extremely creepy.

"What's wrong with her?" Mary asked straight away.

"We don't know, there's a toxin in her bloodstream that's keeping her under. We can't do anything until we find an anti-toxin, it's not harmful. She'll be fine until we get her out."

She took a breath out; her mum was fine- absolutely fine.

"Where did you find her?" She asked, relaxing a bit when she could see the rising of her chest and the beeping of the heart monitor.

"Exactly where you said." He smiled, "In a weird chamber." Flashing back to the tunnel leading up to the chamber. There was a distinct difference between the traditional fairytale of Snow White and the panels painted on the wall. The Snow White in the chamber died, covered in blood red clothes and roses. It was kind of weird, creepy and terrifying all at the same time.

"Did she look like that when you found her?" Mary asked, a hint of annoyance and worry in her voice.

"Basically," he shrugged, "We should go, dinner's at the cave tonight." Dick said, standing up slowly.

"Alright." She smiled, as he unhooked the oxygen tank and heart monitor, standing up at following him out of the room.

* * *

Mary decided she liked having dinner with more than two people. Normally it was just her and mum, but at the cave it was, literally, everyone. The whole team, new and old, were here, mentors were here, even the pets, Wolf and Sphere, had joined them.

Although, not totally comfortable with the topic at the table, she sat with the others her age, namely Flash's speedster twins, Don and Dawn, listening in to the conversation the older heroes were engrossed in.

"No clues as to what the toxin in her stream could be?" Artemis asked Dick, who was not touching his food either.

"Nothing." He said again, it was like a puzzle with one piece missing, you had the general idea but you couldn't get the whole picture without the last piece.

Silence ensued; the whole room had heard that and had no idea what to make of it.

Breaking the silence Mary started talking to Don and Dawn, who were both a little older than her, they were elven and a half. "So, you have super speed." She said, scratching the back of her neck.

The twins looked to each other and then back to Mary, "Yes." They said in perfect unison.

Okay, totally not weird at all, Mary thought to herself. "Are you heroes?"

"No," Dawn replied, looking sad and frustrated, "Daddy and mummy won't let us out on the line because they say it's no place for us to be, not yet anyway."

"Plus," Don said, "We haven't even gotten full control on how our powers work, Dad and Bart have been trying to help us, but we're getting there."

That confused her, she had been looking through the Justice League records earlier, honestly they needed better systems, it said Bart, Kid Flash, was Flash's grandson from the future, which had to mean that he was the kid of either Don or Dawn. Which is weird because that means Bart could potentially watch his whole life again, or just disappear when he arrived as a baby.

"Well if it helps," she said, "I don't think I'm old enough either, dad won't let it, grandpa won't let it, and mum definitely won't let it." She scoffed, over protective, non-trusting, indulgent people that she loved, really she didn't mean those things, but in the grand scale of things she wasn't sure why they wouldn't let her on the team.

But before she could reply, someone who had been absent from the festives since they had started walked in, basically doing a Batman and commanding attention from everyone. Mary thought it didn't work as well, she meant, you can't do a Batman if you're not part of the Bat family.

"Mary." Superman called, as he was the only hero not in the room, "I need to talk to you."

Everyone blinked and turned towards either the ten year old or senior hero. She had no idea why he wanted to talk to her, because they had never actually been properly acquainted. Nightwing was frowning; if Superman wanted to talk to Mary he wasn't sure what he wanted to talk about. Even Batman had no idea what Superman wanted with Mary, and he was Batman.

Just as Mary was about to answer Nightwing cut in, "Why do you want to talk to Mary?" The accusation ringing clearly in his question.

"Something," Superman said, "concerning her and Zatanna, it's a family thing."

Mary answered back; she was perfectly capable of talking for herself, "I think, what dad is trying to say is, why do you want to talk to me because I don't know you?"

"Someone wants to see you." He said, being vague again, and everyone just looked at him funny, vague and dark was Batman's thing, not Superman's. Superman's thing is big blue Boy Scout.

"If they want to see me they can do it here." She said stubbornly, narrowing her eyes at him, daring him to challenge her.

"Fine." He sighed, sending a message through his comlink, _"You can come through now, meet us in the lounge."_

Now everyone was curious as to whom it could be, everyone was teetering on the edge of their seats, listening for the zeta tubes to announce the arrival. But in the minute that they were listening nothing came and they were beyond curious, border lining obsessive behavior.

Then a soft tap on the wall beside Superman, he walked back to check who it was and made a gesture that they couldn't see. He walked back in, "This is only temporary, a week to two weeks at most." He sighed, "but I made a deal and I thought at this time Mary could meet more of her family."

Family? The only family she had was her dad, mum and her dad's adopted brothers and sisters. But everyone else's eyes widened, the only family they could think of that Mary hadn't met yet was someone who hadn't been seen in years, not properly at least.

Then a man walked into the room, Mary looked at him weirdly, he was dressed in a tux, he had black hair with gray undertones and a fancy mustache gracing his face.

Nightwing stood up sharply, and opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't proper words. The Leaguers present stood up and walked forwards, giving the unfamiliar man a hero's welcome back.

"Zatara?" Wonder Woman spoke out, not believing her eyes, "but how?"

"Nabu released me after hearing about my daughter. Where is she?" Zatara asked, his accent still very thick and strong.

"In the med bay, but we think you should meet someone." Flash speeded, almost too fast for some people to hear it.

"I should meet someone?" Zatara asked, "I know a majority of people hear, and even if I have been introduced as Dr Fate."

Nightwing came forward slowly, getting an encouraging nod from Batman and Superman, "Zatara," he said, "Do you remember when Zatanna went missing- and Nabu let you go to help find her?"

"Yes, that is precisely why I am here, to see Zatanna." He said, getting a bit impatient.

"Well we found the reason she left in the first place." He said nervously, technically she was pregnant because of him, and that technically that meant he was the reason she left.

"Did you?" He asked eagerly,

"Mary," he called, "I want you to meet someone."

Mary walked forward slowly, noticing in the back of her head the eyes burning holes into her skull. Whoever this was it better have been worth the time to get up and move, she was exhausted. It was probably from the drugs still present in her body from when she was hooked up to the machines.

The thin line of heroes moved out of the way and broke the circle, making way for Mary to enter and meet him.

As soon as Mary looked up to him Zatara understood. This was the reason his daughter had run away with no trace. She had been carrying a baby.

A living girl.

Who looked very, _very _similar to his daughter. Just the eyes, those eyes were very familiar.

"Who's he?" Mary asked, eyes sweeping over him, he just seemed familiar.

"Mary," Batman said, "This is your grandfather. Zatara, Mary. Zatanna's daughter and your granddaughter."

Zatara immediately turned to Nightwing and narrowed her eyes, and Mary nearly laughed at the nervous expression that graced his face, he looked like he wished the floor would swallow him whole.

"Who is the father?" He said, knowing the answer already. Playing the role of protective father very well.

"The father," Batman interjected, sensing Nightwing's unease, "is Richard Grayson, whom, if you remember, she was in a relationship with up until she disappeared."

"Uh-huh." He said, pursing his lips together, "Mary, it is wonderful to meet you." He smiled at his granddaughter, wow.

"Nice to meet you to." She smirked, containing her laughter. He was immediately reminded of the smirk Dick used to make after taking down an opponent in a sparring match when Zatara looked after the team. And he couldn't help but be somewhat annoyed by it, and love it at the same time.

He was a grandfather, and no one could take that back.

* * *

So, I hoped you liked it! I know it's a bit shorter but I really wanted to do something to reintroduce Zatara into the story without it being really spontaneous and unplanned.

I've started writing the next chapter and I will get it up ASAP.

-The Missing X


	17. Chapter 17

Sorry! I know... It's too late to apologise, too late...

And sorry for that too, but I have been cramming everything in last minute, and I didn't want to publish any shotty work.

Replies to Reviews:

goodstoryfan: Thanks :) I thought it might add a more connecting with family vibe.

Helena Bellamuerte: Thank you, and thanks for telling me about the formatting issue, because I would have just left it and been totally oblivious to the problem, I owe ya!

amyanime4: I love drama too!

21 is awesome: Haha, I know. But adults tend to overlook the simplest details and it's really annoying sometimes, especially with teachers! Thanks for the review.

rzromina5: I hope you like this update! Sorry for the wait.

: Aw, don't spill your coffee! Thanks for your support and I hope you like this update. P.S. Operation Magic's second part is up now!

So thank you to everyone who reviewed, your positive and constructive comments are what keep me interested in the story so don't stop! Okay... so for all the people that have complained to me about hating Barbara, I don't, it just works well with the story. And plus she's... I'll let you read the story to find out. ;)

* * *

"You wanted to talk to me?" She asked, feeling tired and drained, and just over everything.

"Look, I wanted to apologise for the way I've been acting." The adult said, "It's just hard you know, when your life takes a turn for the worst and you realize things aren't the way you thought they were, or aren't what they're going to be like."

Mary looked into her eyes, and smiled sadly, "I know exactly what that feels like."

"But you coming here was for the better, and although I never act like it- you are a genius Mary-Aster." Barbara cooed, "I know when I look at you, that you will grow up to be a strong-willed, talented, _beautiful_ woman."

"Why are you saying these things?"

"Because I've held a grudge against you just because of your mum, but the truth is, I don't even hate your mum. She's kind, beautiful, funny and a really good listener." The red head laughed, "I just, things were steady between me and your dad, you know? I thought I had finally found the right guy."

"And he isn't the right guy?" Mary asked, where in the word was she going with this? Seriously it confused her greatly.

"No, after ages and ages to think about it I realized your dad was just a childhood crush I was holding onto." She admitted, "But I know you have your problems with me, and I've had my problems with you. But I just wanted to start over, a new leaf. What do you say?"

Mary beamed up at her, "Deal. And for the record, I'm sorry to. Especially about gassing you on your bike." She apologised awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck. "But no offence, what are you going to do about dad?"

Barbara smiled sadly, it hurt- yes. But it would've hurt more if they had truly been lovers. "We've talked, and we've decided it was for the best to go our own ways. Try the best friends things again."

"Aha!" She cried, pumping her fist up in the air, "I knew it! Now," Mary said in all seriousness, "What can you tell me about dad when he was my age?"

"Hasn't anyone told you?" Barbara asked, confused that the Clan hadn't taken first chance in embarrassing the golden boy.

"No, because Grandpa's always too busy being the 'Dark Knight', Jason, Tim and Dami meet Dick after he had been my age, and Alfred just laughs and continues dusting. I even offered to do the dusting for him, but he just won't tell me!" She says half dejectedly.

"Wait, since when is Damian, Dami?"

"Oh, well I called his D-bomb, like Da-bomb, and he said no. So I told him he was going to have a nickname relating to his actual name, not Robin- and I settled for Dami." Mary explained, laughing at all the nicknames she had come up with: Dami-poo, Damage, Damed, Damfus, Damius, Damipie, Damon (like D_e_mon), Doofus, and last but not least, Diggory- Dami.

"Back to the topic at hand, Dick probably told them not to tell you, but I have a _ton _of stories about you dad when he was a kid." Barbara smirked, she was so going to use that as blackmail material.

And that's how the two patched their differences up and bonded over Dick's misfortunes as a child, from the school fence incident, to the fire alarm day and to the last day of high school when he pulled the biggest prank on the staff, forever being praised and immortalised by the students of Gotham Academy.

* * *

Zatara had gotten to know his granddaughter very well over the next few days, talking about activities, Zatanna, hobbies, abilities, and how much of her life had been sheltered. He had come to the conclusion Nightwing, or rather- Richard- was forgiven for defiling his daughter at the age of seventeen. Although he was going to prolong the internal battle he was having around his potential father in law, just because it brought laughter to him and to Mary, who was being very vocal about it.

During his few days he had visited Zatanna everyday, bringing in new flowers and smoothing out her hair, waiting on any potential news of her waking up. He would visit every morning by himself, then midday with Mary and then before dinner by himself again. She looked so much like her mother now, maybe it was a family thing to look like your mother in the Zatara family, after all Mary looked so much like Zatanna, and Zatanna looked liker Sindella.

He had also found out that her full first name is Mary-Aster. At first he was extremely skeptical about the name, but after seeing her in action, running around the cave and talking earnestly with Damian, he came to realize that the name was perfect for her.

Mary, something that represented her circus blood- her father's family. Showed her slightly more wild and free side that couldn't be detained unless he used magic on her. And boy, was it good to speak backwards again.

Aster, a representative of Robin, the way Zatanna had first met Richard, as a highly skilled and goofy kid with big ears. It also reminded him of the flower, he would look forward in watching her bloom.

"Grandpa," Mary called, looking up from her position on the couch, "Why can't I do magic?"

He chuckled slightly; in the short time he had known her he had found she was extremely intelligent and insightful. The question, to him, represented her innocence as a child, he hardly thought of her as a simple thinker but the question was something a normal ten year old would ask.

"Maybe because of your father's side, it cancels the gene out." He said, honestly he didn't know either, but he was secretly glad, at this age Zatanna was floating everywhere in the house, scaring the neighbours and him.

"Like dominant and recessive genes?" She questioned, "The gene you and mum have is recessive so is there but repressed by dad's dominant non-magic gene."

He blinked quietly and marvelled at her, he had no idea she was so smart. Or that quick thinking.

"Yes." He said, cleaning his wand, the one that he hadn't touched in years, "I think that is why, although I was never the best science student."

There was a peaceful silence between the two family, just a momentary space of thought and time. Zatara continued polishing his wand that he had cherished since he was a young boy, and Mary just lying on the couch in her clothes she had grabbed from the apartment.

"Mary," Nightwing called, coming into the room, still feeling nervous around Zatara after years, "we could use your help."

She silently got up and looked to Zatara, who gave Nightwing a quick glare, as if to say it was okay.

The father and daughter exited the room in silence until Mary couldn't hold out any longer, "What do you need me for?"

"We just wanted your input, you seem to know about this stuff- and she's been with you your whole life, so- why not?" He shrugged; opening the door to the lab they had been working in.

The lab was- _white._

Not white, but _bleach_ white.

One of the walls wasn't a wall, exactly… it was a giant screen. Showing what the sample looked like under the microscope. She could see the clear read blood cells and a gunk on the bases of the cells. Batman, Flash and Martian Manhunter were situated around the lab, each working on different techniques. Batman was attempting to scare the gunk off with an electrical shock.

Flash was examining the blood carefully, using his speed to see if there was a possible reaction to friction, or any other side effects. Martian Manhunter was simply trying to use his Martian mind to rip the green goop of each individual cell.

To be honest, none of it looked effective.

"Nightwing, Mary," Batman acknowledged, "Set up on the other corner of the room, I want you to give her a quick briefing and then get stuck into the task at hand."

Nightwing nodded and steered Mary towards the far corner where she could see the screen clearly, and not have to peak over top of any object or person.

This was all very new to her, and it seemed like Batman wanted her to be part of this business. Not just shun her to the side while everyone else went into battle, he actually acknowledged her will to fight for this and for justice.

"Mary," her dad spoke up, bringing slides of the pictures in the hallway leading to the chamber. "This is the location we found Zatanna, thanks to your intel."

God did he always sound like that when he was giving a briefing?

"The toxin is still unknown, but we can see it travels and stays inside her bloodstream by attaching itself to her red blood cells. Any clues we had missed had been shut down, after a small squad visited the next night and the bunker was completely gone. Still no lead on who had a hand it that either."

"Snow White." She said, recognising the pictures.

A poisonous apple, the evil queen, the sleeping coffin. But there was a slide missing and a slide in it's place, the true loves kiss that wakes her up had been replaced with a slide that looked like her mum, old and frail in a blood red dress, surrounded by blood red roses.

"What?" He asked, standing to attention.

"The slides, they tell the tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. A classic fairytale told by the Brother Grimm, a beautiful princess is kept as a slave in her own home by her wicked stepmother, one day the queen orders the huntsman to kill the princess. But the huntsman can't, leaving Snow White to find the cottage, she lives with them as a mother figure and then is tricked into eating a poisonous apple. She falls into a slumber, that only a true loves kiss can break."

"I know the story, but what does it have to do with Zatanna?" He asked, his brain still making the connections. He understood now. But he wanted to see how fast his daughter's brain worked, and how fast she could deduce things from real and fake.

"It has everything to do with it. Mum's in asleep. She's not hurt or anything, just sleeping." She said slowly, "My guess is that she ate an apple that had the same effect as the one in the fairytale, the gunk you're seeing on the red blood cells are sugars from the apple, which travel through the bloodstream. Keeping her under."

She looked up at her dad with wonder and hurt, "The only way to break the spell, or the only way I can think of is true love's kiss."

Now she had the attention of the Leaguers present. They had all stopped their work and listened to her theory, which admittedly made a lot more sense than anything they had come up with.

"So where are we going to find it?" He asked, looking into his daughter's eyes.

"I don't know if I should even answer that." She mumbled, casting her eyes downwards.

* * *

So... I hope you liked it! :) Sorry for the wait and I'll promise to try and get the next chapter in faster!:)

Leave a review in the box below!

-The Missing X


	18. Chapter 18

Sorry this is quite late, but I thought instead of winging the story and dragging it out I would plan for the last few chapters and actually stick to the story line! I really hope this works.

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Magic: The necklace makes a small appearance in the next chapter.

Thank you everyone who reviewed and read the story and keeps reading! I love you… keep going and I hope you like this chapter!

* * *

"Mary, what happened?" Zatara asked as his granddaughter walked out of the room with a distant and lost look plastered on her face.

"We found out how to bring her back," she whispered, "She can come back."

"Great, when?" He exclaimed, helping her move forward by steadying her.

"It's not that easy, nonno." She stressed, "Whoever did this they were recreating the story of Snow White, trying to change it."

"So, the solution is true love's kiss?" He asked, perplexed by the predicament. True Love was something that couldn't be messed around with- not even by magic.

"Yeah, the only option I can see is dad- but that's me _wanting _a perfect family. I don't know anyone else who could know mum like _that_." She admitted, sitting down on the couch next to the elder.

Zatara sighed at her and smiled. Every child wanted a perfect family, she had probably grown up with taunts about having a single mother- Zatanna must have suffered some scrutiny for being a single mother.

"Mary," He said softly, picking up the necklace dangling from her neck. It was still in the same preserved state it had been in since it's craft. "This, your father gave to my daughter when they were fifteen. They had found something in each other that completed their soul- their belonging. I may not have been there for my daughter's teenage years, but I was still there. There will be no one else on this planet that will love Zatanna like Dick does, and they have you to show for it."

"So?" She asked, still very confused on the situation that was occurring.

"So, I think whatever worries you may have about whatever's going on, you need to trust your instinct." He smiled, letting go of her necklace and putting it gently back down. "And even if I don't like that boy very much, I still cannot deny the emotion between the two." He muttered.

"Thanks, nonno." She smiled giving him a hug, knowing fully well that he would have to return to that helmet prison one of these days. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, Mary." He smiled sadly, smoothing her hair down and breathing in deeply. "I will miss you dearly, too."

* * *

She liked the bars. The uneven bars that is, not jail bars or a dance barre. She loved the feeling between movements, the fleeting make it or break it moment- with the adrenalin pumping in her veins and the world watching on with fear. It was something she had become somewhat like an addict to, the feeling of desperation- not quite the death or life desperation, but the big rush that came with most of her daredevil acts.

_Top bar, bottom bar, top bar, bottom bar, top bar, bottom bar._

The mantra she always repeated in her head whenever she was frustrated, performing, or just walking. It calmed her, for someone who had been born on the ground she was extremely flighty. She climbed trees with the few friends she had at school, she climbed the rope with the other gymnasts in her team, she had competitions with the friends at circus arts about who had the guts to fall from the top of trapeze platform into the net below.

Sometimes she heard whispers around town about children who partake in extracurricular aren't academically adept or as able as they could be doing if they solely focused on their studies. But she had thought that to be utterly wrong, as an extracurricular taker she had to be able to judge things whilst in motion, if she could make the last flip or not, if she would injure herself if she attempted that now.

"Mary." Her dad called from the entrance to the training room, "do you want lunch? Or do you just want to starve and keep going?"

She rolled her eyes from her handstand on the bottom bar, flipping herself around and propelling herself up to the top bar and launching off into a sequence of flips and turns she landed and smiled, "I'm coming, I'm coming, didn't have to bring the food into this." She laughed, "Why are you dressed up?"

Noticing his collared shirt and dress pants fitted with sunglasses. She had no idea where they were having lunch, but she had a notion she would have to dress up too.

"Work, and your coming with me. I asked Bruce earlier and he said sure, Tim and Damian will be there too." He shrugged, "Damian's got a teacher only day and I don't think Bruce trusted him at home, even with Alfred there, because of what happened last time."

"What happened last time?" She gulped, when it came to Damian you didn't want to push the buttons- too hard. You could still push, just not to the point of reverting him back to assassin Damian.

"Nothing good," he mumbled, "Now let's go."

* * *

"No."

"But they have a very promising deal to offer, Mr Wayne. My apologies, but I think we should take this up and invest in, at least, some of this." The businesswoman said, pushing her glasses up her nose.

"I have a policy, Ms Jenkins. And I fully intend to keep to it." He said firmly, his lips hardening into a thin line.

"This could bring an amazing income to Wayne Industries, we simply _can't _ignore this. It's far too go-"

"I told you, no." He stated, "Now if you will excuse yourself I have lunch with my family now."

"Sorry, Mr Wayne. Good day." She nodded before retreating out of the room, heels clicking on the wooden floor.

"Hey, Bruce." Dick smiled, bringing Mary in front of him, "What was that about?"

"Lex wants a partnership deal with us." He grimaced.

"And she thinks it's good enough to appeal to you for?" He asked surprise, all of the employees and workers they hired knew about the no tolerance to LexCorp Bruce had. They didn't know why, but they definitely knew not to ask about it and automatically decline offers that were put forth to their company.

So the offer Lex made this time must be _extremely_ good for one of the head of departments to personally ask Bruce about it.

"It _is _good." He admitted, "Almost too good."

"Um, can we eat?" Mary asked, no longer able to ignore the gnawing sounds her stomach was producing.

"Sorry, Mary." Bruce laughed, "I forgot you have a stomach of ten people."

She huffed lightly and crossed her arms over her white blouse, "It's not my fault you like eating protein and vegetables."

"Healthy foods," he reprimanded.

"Gross." She retorted with a smirk.

"Have you done anything today? Other than sit around and figure out how to hack into the security cameras?" Bruce asked, as Mary and Dick took their seats in the chairs provided, handing out the lunch they had brought.

"Yes, I spent my morning with Granddad Zatara. And then I went to train." She said, taking a handful of fries and picking them off one by one.

"How is he?" Dick asked, he hadn't personally talked to the man properly during his return- he thought he would let the granddad and daughter get to know each other before he even tried to talk to the magician.

"Good, I think he's still a bit mad at you for 'deflowering' his daughter." She laughed and said in a Italian accent. Causing both Bruce and Dick to cough out at the statement of 'deflowering'. "Hm… where's Damian?"

"I think he's terrorizing the second floor. Something about a fire extinguisher." Bruce muttered darkly, wishing his son wouldn't use his smarts to unleash war with a metal hunk of a robot- a new design Wayne Tech was working on called the War Drone.

"Dad said you didn't want him staying at home, why is that?" She asked.

"Because the last time we let Damian stay home he went into the Batcave and changed all of the Justice League and team files to read the story of Arnold the Duck." Bruce said, he remembered expecting to find a training Damian and walking in and finding his son with his feet up on the keyboard, eating a packet of pringles watching the Watch Tower camera feed to see people's reactions.

"Huh, was it funny?" She mouthed, chowing down on her food.

"Hilarious," Dick gushed, "You should have seen Bruce's face, it was someth-"

"Dick" Bruce coughed, silencing the young man.

Mary just smiled brightly at the father and son, but not father and son, interact. The way they could read each other, in and out of uniform, the way they responded to each others comments and the way their dynamic worked. They weren't called the dynamic duo for nothing.

"Why don't you do deals with LexCorp? We had a rep come in and give us a talk last year at school, they were planning on making a large mass producing farm that would feed a majority of third world population." She asked, the representative seemed nice enough, and their intentions were good-natured.

"A lot of LexCorp's plans are fronts for something relating to the villains. He has been part of the Light since it's founding and break up, he salvaged a hoarding of kryptonite to use against Superman and he is looking for partnership deal with Wayne for weapons building and testing." Bruce explaining, only lightly touching the reasons why he hated Lex Luthor and his mockery of a business.

"What the deal he made this time?" Dick asked.

"It was a deal for the mass crop plantation, and it was very tempting. But something was off about it, there was no end procedure, no explanation to what they would do when the project came to an end. And if you have a big surplus and property for that you need to know and plan out what would happen after it's finished." He said, picking at his food.

"So he has no fall back plan for when the project goes to custard." She said, eyebrow raised.

"When it goes to custard?" Dick asked, he was still contemplating what Lex's ulterior motives may be.

"The rep explained it, and as far as I could see it was poorly planned, and their location is right on top of a village. Which ere either okay with it, or are completely out of it and have no idea about the plans." She shrugged.

"Maybe we should look into that." Bruce contemplated.

"What'd I miss?" Damian shouted into the room as he came back, face covered in soot.

"Da-Bomb!" Mary cheered, noticing his immediate glare at the nickname, "You haven't missed a thing, how was your battle with the Wayne Robot?"

"Shut up." He grumbled, taking a seat and the food that was sitting on the table.

* * *

The solution, easy than he would have thought. The consequences, higher than he would have liked- but when were there ever nice consequences in their line of work?

Dick sat in the chair, fiddling with Zatanna's hand. Using his calloused fingers to rub unknown patterns across her palm, her wrist, her fingers, anywhere he could reach with his own fingers. He had found himself coming inside her room to think most days now, he and Barbara had agreed to separate- it wasn't working for them. And she had been spending more time with Mary- probably retelling stories about the mischief he got up to in his younger years.

But it had been a few days since Mary's solution had come up, and he didn't know whether or not to act on it, or to just leave her be. True love was something of a fairytale; he didn't really think it could be used like in a fairytale. When the Prince Charming kisses the sleeping beauty awake, and they ride off in the sunset to happily ever after. It was all a myth to him until this happened.

He had spent years looking for her, to get her back, to find out why she left, and just to have her back. But now that she was back, he was halfway between lost and unsure-which was getting him nowhere.

_Just kiss her._

But what if it didn't work? What if he wasn't her true love and there had been someone else this whole time? He couldn't be sure, and he didn't want his heart broken again, not by the same person- whether or not she was conscious.

But then what if he waited? Waited for someone to heroically claim Zatanna and wake her up, wait for something to happen instead of doing it himself.

He would take a risk, take a chance and break away. No- that was a song, not a mantra to chant in his head. He gently moved over towards her, standing up from his position in the chair and stood over her. And used his free hand to brush the hair out of her face, leaving his hand there and shaking slightly he slowly closed the gap between them. Inching closer and closer until their lips met. Cold, unmoving and soft. It felt foreign to him, yet he knew what it was. Something he hadn't done in a long time, and had dreamed about- not exactly like this, though.

Opening his eyes and standing back up he waited for a reaction, a twitch of a finger, a flicker of the eye, more breaths- but nothing. It hadn't done anything, the heart breaking pain still hurt like the weight of the world had been dropped on his chest.

He couldn't do it; he had spent eleven years to finding her for nothing. He wouldn't spend his life with her; he couldn't tell her he loved her without feeling guilty and hating himself at the safe time.

He breathed in deeply, before letting go of her hand and moving to leave the room. His head hanging down and his demeanor significantly changed. He stopped to give her one last look, maybe for a while. He needed time to think about this, something he didn't think he had done in a long time.

Halfway out the door he was stopped by something holding him back, not physically- something he just felt hold him back. Looking back at Zatanna he willed for something to happen- anything.

Nothing, and he wondered why he let himself believe in something that just wasn't there. He would just be breaking his own heart over and over again. Moving back to leave for the last time he nearly shut the door when he heard a small coughing fit in the room and stopped.

Could it be?

He was awarded with the heart warming feeling when the familiar voice called to him.

"Dick?"

* * *

CLIFFHANGER! I hope you don't hate me for putting that their, but I will use this opportunity to say that I have a Spitfire story in the works. Something that I got an idea for while reading a Mortal Instruments story.

Wait up for the next chapter!

-The Missing X


	19. Chapter 19

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* * *

Previously…

* * *

_"Dick?"_

_..._

* * *

He rushed back into the room. What he saw was better than anything he could have dreamed of. "Zatanna!" He cried, rushing to her coil her in a hug. Looping his arms around her small frame, he buried his face into the crook of her neck.

"Oh my gosh, Dick." She laughed, "Where I am?"

"You're safe." He whispered into her hair, "You're back and you're safe."

They held each other for a moment more, feeling whole again- like they were missing each other during their years of separation and the years apart had only made their affection for each other stronger. But since coming back Zatanna had no idea what to do, _she _ran away, _she _brought this on herself and all she could think about was that in a parallel universe she and Dick had never gone separate ways.

"What happened?" She asked, suddenly breaking off the contact. "Dick, I want to know what happened, and don't you dare shut me out again." Zatanna warned, remembering Dick's tendencies to break off for a while if he wasn't completely comfortable with a subject or person.

"You left, things changed and we got you back." He said, "That's the general gist of things."

"Details, boy wonder." She reminded with a slight smirk, Dick groaned- mainly because there were some things that he had absolutely missed about her, and some things that he could have never forgotten, like her habit of calling him boy wonder.

"It's been _years _now, Zee. Damian's Robin now." He reminded her, and the look of shock on her face reminds him that she hasn't been in the loop for eleven years and that she probably has no idea who Damian is.

"Bruce's kid?" Zatanna asked, it seemed highly likely, with Bruce being Batman and all, but she still remembers there being no Robin when she left. Jason had just died and everyone in that family was suffering _hard _from the loss. There had been another Robin on the scene but she had no idea who that was.

"Yeah, Bruce's kid." Dick laughed; looking at her he could still read her like a book, "His mum's Talia Al Ghul." Her eyes widen at the revelation and suddenly she feels sorry for the boy.

"Seriously? Bruce and Talia?" She asked, blinking thrice and looking at her former flame expectantly.

"It was a brief thing, although I don't get it." He waved off, "Plans?"

"For what?" Zatanna smiled, leaning back on her pillows.

He took a breath in and took his mask off. _Oh, _she thought, _he's serious._ "What are you going to do when you can go free?" And it was either her imagination or he was scared. Down right scared, of what she wouldn't know, but she did know he was scared- and Dick rarely got scared.

She whispered out a reply, so quite he almost missed it, "I-I don't know."

He would be lying is he didn't expect her to yell at him, tell him that he was trying to tie her down and that she didn't want to see him. So when she whispered those words his eyes widened, and now he was seriously confused.

"Stay with me." Dick said, but it came out before he could filter it through his brain- and what was worse was it came out as a plead, a desperate cry for help of sorts. Zatanna was shocked, surely after all she had put him through he wouldn't want her near him?

"What?"

"Stay with me." He repeated, more firmly this time, "You, me, Mary."

Dammit, she knew she had forgotten something. How the hell did she forget her own daughter? She tries to reach into the subconscious and thinks, the last time she saw her daughter was when she went ghost-spirit. She was crying, being held back and, oh dear god.

"Where's Mary?" She says, like a bullet bursting through the door. "Did something happen to her? I swear, if you let something happen to her I will hang you from the Tower of Fate." She threatened. Dick laughed, "This isn't funny, Richard." Only causing him to laugh harder. "Grayson!" She scolded, hitting him with all her force, finally getting him to shut up. "Where the hell is my daughter?"

"God, you _are _overprotective." He said, observing her. "No wonder she liked all the freedom."

"She's okay?" Zatanna said with a smile. Like the Hollywood sign was being put up in her own backyard. "Mary's okay? Not hurt? Not mentally crippled?"

"God, Zee." He chuckled more, "How much of her life have you shielded her?"

Zatanna coiled back at the comment; she hadn't shielded that much of Mary's life, right? Except she already knew the answer to that. She had been so paranoid about loose ends she had cut of finding her again she had locked herself and her daughter up. How could she have been so oblivious to this?

"Sorry, It's just… she's really looking happy about the freedom we've given her- and trust me, we haven't given her much." He said, "Zatanna, one thing keeps coming back to haunt me."

She nodded to let him know she had his undivided attention. "Why did you leave? Why didn't you tell me about Mary? Why did you come back? Were you ever going to introduce me to her?"

He gave her this look. Something that she hadn't missed because it made her feel so guilty about everything she had done wrong and she knew he knew that if he looked at her like that she would spill everything to her. So she did the first thing that came to mind, that wasn't the healthiest thing to do at the moment but she knew it would get her out of answering his questions, questions that she wasn't ready to confront.

She moved over to kneel on the bed and in front of his standing figure, and grasped his face in her smaller hands and brought their lips together. Without so much of a hesitation he reacted, his hands flying to her waist to pull her body flush against his. Moving to the small of her back he groaned, god he had wanted this for so long, but he knew she was stalling.

And oddly, he was okay with that.

Smirking against her lips, "We are so talking about this later."

And the only reply he got was Zatanna groaning and pulling him forward, resulting in the two lovers falling to the bed.

Definitely okay with this.

* * *

All she heard was laughter, not the forced awkward chuckles the teachers handed out in school when a kid in class tried, emphasised on tried, to make a funny comment or joke. It was a rich laughter, a light laughter, a free laughter, like someone had been weighed down for years and had been released with a bang into the world again.

So she barged into the room without expecting to see what she saw.

Her mum.

Time slowed down for Mary, Zatanna was reaching out for her extending her arms- all in slow motion. She must have said something because her mouth moved slightly and expanded into a wide smile, but Mary couldn't hear anything but the beating of her heart.

Without so much as a second thought she rushed forward and knocked into Zatanna, embracing her in a hug with tears leaking from her eyes. Feeling on top of the world with her mum back and awake.

But she knew that they had a lot of talking to do after this, so she saved this for the memory box and pushed that thought to the back of her mind.

They were now sat inside Mary's given room in the base. Mary sitting next to Zatanna, leaning into her embrace, while Zatanna played with her daughter hair. So many unanswered questions that needed to be answered were swirling around in both of their heads.

"What happened?" Mary asked suddenly, breaking free of her mum's arms, "What happened to you? I came home from school early and your not home, mum what happened?" Mary asked, clarifying the question over and over again for her sake. A reassurance that her mum was really here, and it wasn't some sick joke and the martian wasn't messing with her mind.

Zatanna looked away briefly, a look of a memory in her eyes. It wasn't something she had tried to remember, she hadn't really given it much thought after all, but now that she was prompted to talk about it she paused.

There was no way to describe what had happened, it was something that couldn't be put into words, and words almost never failed her, forwards and backwards.

"Maybe it would be better to show you." Zatanna hesitated, wondering if this was the right thing to do- she had no idea how Mary would react and she wouldn't be there to shield her eyes from anything she thought wasn't appropriate for Mary.

"How can you show me?" Mary asked, turning her body to look at Zatanna with confusion with a tinge of awe.

Zatanna breathed in, _"Wohs yraM eht stneve fo ym pandik."_

For a micro second nothing happened, and then the room disappeared in front of her eyes, the image swirling in a matrix of colours and patterns. She stood up abruptly as the bed disappeared from under her and she found herself in her room in their apartment back in New York.

It was her room, from the hero posters on the wall to the circus equipment stashed messily in her corner, to the mirror hung crookedly on the wall. The bed was even the same as she had left it, messy and unturned.

But she quickly found out that she wasn't really here, as soon as she went to put her hand on the cabinet it wasn't there. It was there, but it wasn't. Her hand went straight through it like she was a ghost watching a movie, or having a really weird travel back in time moment.

Now any doubts Mary had about her mum being Zatanna Zatara were vanquished and she marveled at the sight. Moving to the living room she watched the scene unfold in front of her.

…

There was a soft knock on the door, and Zatanna rushed to answer it. Fixing her hair and skirt along the way. Looking through the peephole first her eyes widened as she barely had time to utter out a protection spell that kept her encased in a bubble as the door exploded open. Sending her flying back as the bubble faltered, leaving her to slam into the far wall of the hallway.

Mary gasped, but she couldn't move. None of the muscles in her body were following her orders, her head was screaming at her to move and see what was wrong, or if she was okay. But her body wouldn't comply, her body wouldn't follow the orders when she needed it to.

Now sprawled on the floor with hair falling in her face and ornaments shattered around her, like glass fragments they reflected the light, and if she hadn't just been attacked she would have thought that the effect looked beautiful.

Getting up and back to her feet she looked to see who her attacker was, she staggered for a moment before realising that she wasn't at all in shape for anything like this.

Cursing in Italian loudly she grabbed the closest object that she knew would hurt a regular person. She silently prowled around the apartment, breathing evenly again as her eyes darted from side to side, evaluating every crevice, corner and object of her surrounding area before moving on.

Walking into her room Zatanna blurted out a quick fire spell, sending fire towards the cloaked figure in the corner of the room. Who looked very green and angry, with a glowing green light surrounding her hands.

The green figure screamed and flung bolts of power to her. Advancing while Zatanna chanted another spell that brought the cabinets in the room to encase her in a sort of shield. Gasping for breath the magician steadied herself before jumping up and using her magic to throw objects around the room at the intruder.

"Zatanna Zatara." The hooded figure spoke up, rising from her crouch and unveiling her hood- revealing piercing green eyes and auburn hair. Zatanna had no idea who this lady was, but it obvious that she knew who Zatanna was, and that's what she had been scared of all these years.

Zatanna's eyes narrowed, "How the hell do you know my name?" She screamed, _"erif, erif, erif."_

Fire spurted from her hands as she ran forward, hitting the villain with the hot flames. The figure counter attacked, sending a big wave of fire at Zatanna, knocking her into the cabinet and groaning in pain against the wall.

Mary screamed.

"You will pay for the sins of your ancestors." Enchantress said in a grave voice. "And you won't see the light of day again, say good bye."

A portal appeared on the wall next to her. Zatanna slipped in and out of consciousness, groaning and clutching her side. As soon as she heard the sound of wind that accompanied portals produced by magic her eyes snapped open and jumped from her position on the floor.

_"tekcol niahcnu morf ym kcen, ekam erus yram sdnif ti."_

A moment of light surrounded Zatanna as she felt the locket unclasping from her neck, and then she dropped, unable to hold any more energy to fight. Slipping into the farm realms of the unknown the last thing she saw was the bottom of a cloak moving towards her and laughter.

…

When Mary returned to the real world she was silently sobbing and staggering slightly in her standing place in the middle of the room. Lifting her head to find her mum passed out on the bed, she tried to run to her but tripped up in her own exhaustion. Not from the scene vision, but from the whole ordeal being piled up on her. She hadn't had a proper night's sleep since everything started.

Getting up and walking drunkly to her mum she shook her slightly, waking Zatanna up fro her momentary faint. "Mum?"

Zatanna groaned, sitting up again and clutching her head. "Did you see it?" She asked tiredly.

"Yeah." Mary whispered, wiping the tears from her eyes. "That was horrible. I never want to see that again, who was that? The person that took you?"

Zatanna looked away, trying to bring back memories from her capture. "Enchantress. I think dad mentioned her once or twice. He had banished her, or something, and she wanted revenge on him."

"Oh."

"Mary, it's okay. I've had worse, a _lot _worse. I'm just… out of practice." Mary gave her a look. "Okay fine, I'm a lot out of practice, but I'm just glad you weren't there." She smiled, bringing her daughter in for another embrace. "But what have you been up to? Dick won't tell me anything but the freedom you're happy with."

Mary froze, _busted_. Was she going to really tell her mum about what she had done? Or was she going to play innocent and run away? God, she hated moments like these.

"What are you talking about, mum?" She chuckled shakily. Okay, now her mum would really know that she was hiding something. Why was it that she could lie perfectly fine and have no trouble to anyone about anything, but when you put her mum into the equation it was just unsolvable.

"Okay, Mary." Zatanna said sternly, raising an eyebrow and smirking in triumph. "What happened, the whole story? Start from the beginning, and explain why you got out of school early that day."

Mary deflated, "Fine. I got sent home because I was suspended."

And the truth was out.

"You got WHAT?" Zatanna screamed, smoke literally coming out of her ears. "Mary-Aster Sindella Zatara- Grayson you tell me why you got suspended right now, and it better be justified."

Seriously, Mary had never been more scared in her life than right now, facing her angry mother who was just finding out about her suspension. Come to think of it, no one knew about her suspension.

The school had been told that they were away on a family affair, and had constantly called for the past month, but had been put through a faked voice message by Miss Martian, explaining that something big had happened and they wouldn't know when they would be returning.

"Well, I kind of punched someone."

"You did what?"

"It was Jen." Mary got out, trying to defend herself, "and she was going on about families and how I didn't have a dad because she said I was a freak and I just _snapped_. I didn't mean for it to happen, it just_ did_."

Zatanna sighed, she knew about Mary's hardships at school. She had been to the principle multiple times about the claims laid against her daughter. But she also knew about Jen, who was the sole tormentor of Mary. Seriously she needed to get a hobby.

"I get it, just… don't let it happen again. All right?" Zatanna smiled, Marry nodded.

"Anyway. I got home, and I found the locket. Then I got the message- freaky by the way. And then I sort of felt my way to the telephone booth. I couldn't really see. But anyway- I arrived here and was interrogated by Batman."

"He interrogated you?" Zatanna said hollowly, did Batman really interrogate a ten year old girl?

"Yeah and I figured out his ID. Then I stayed at the cave for a while, and then he tested my DNA and I found out that freakin' Richard Grayson is my dad!" Mary shouted. "How the hell did you keep that secret for so long? And why didn't you tell me? I probably wouldn't have believed you."

"Language Mary." Zatanna scolded.

Mary brushed it aside, "Yeah, yeah. Jason's a lot worse."

"Jason's alive?" Zatanna said with wide eyes.

"Mum, do you want me to finish my story or not?" Mary said with a deep sigh.

"So me and dad bonded, all that fluff, and then I got taken to dinner with him and Barbara. That's where it got weird. But their not together anymore, so anyway- then I stayed at the manor. Which was amazingly huge, and I snuck out one morning and took a bus back home to get some stuff and look for you." She continued, looking to Zatanna, who was looking at her with true intensity.

"They found me again and got Batgirl to take me back to Gotham, but we never made it and I got us to the base. Then I figured out the place you were being kept, and they deployed teams to get you but I had to stay behind. They brought you back and you were under, then I figured out how to bring you back and we got you back, and by the way I met grandpa."

Zatanna just blinked, soaking in the details of Mary's side of the past month. "You mean Bruce?"

"No, Zatara." Mary said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Oh, right- Doctor Fate let him on for a short while to check up on you."

"I have to go see him." She yelped, standing up, but being stopped by a small hand.

"He's in a meeting right now. Don't want to get on the wrong side of Wonder Woman, trust me. But um… what happens to us after this?" Mary asked quietly, looking down and twiddling her thumbs, one of the tell signs that she was nervous.

Zatanna soften up and got down on one knee in front of Mary, placing a delicate hand on her shoulder, "I don't know what's going to happen, but it will be decision between you, me and your dad. Understand?"

"Does that mean were staying as a family? A proper family?" She asked, hope bubbling up in her chest. She could already imagine it, herself, dad, mum and maybe a sibling, preferably a baby brother.

"I don't know, but I know that if we do stay together our family would be anything but proper." Zatanna laughed, she couldn't see a future without magic, or her friends, provided that they were now back in her life, and she couldn't see a future without Nightwing, the hero and person.

"Asterous." Mary grinned.

* * *

**A/N: I am so INCREDIBLY SORRY for such a late update. I am completely swamped and school comes first. I managed to squeeze this in here and there and honestly not the best work I've done. But I hope you guys liked it.**

**Sorry again, and there are no promises when the next update will come but I will try get it to you as soon as possible.**

**Thanks for reading and leave a review about your thoughts on this chapter.**

**-The Missing X**


	20. Chapter 20

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* * *

Zatanna breathed in and out, the smell of the sea wafting around her as she sat atop of the now flattened Mount Justice. And she felt nostalgic, and she wasn't sure if it was the fact that she had lived here for a good three years of her life or if she was in one of those moods today. Either way she had always loved to be by the beach when she meditated, it reminded her of her and her father.

When they used to play by the little rock pools by the shore and dig for different creatures, and over time they would start using magic to find them- a perfect training ground for a young magician.

She's been back with her friends for a week.

Her and Dick had been making arrangements for themselves and for Mary. Bruce had offered to give financial aid if any was needed. But things were still left unresolved, she hadn't told him why she had run in the first place, why she had never returned, and if she was ever going to tell him about Mary.

Zatanna had spent a majority of her week with her father before Zatara had to return to the helmet and uphold his promise. She cried again, but this time she wouldn't let Mary see her cry. Dick had comforted her for days after that, and she was, once again, eternally grateful that he was their after her father had put the helmet back on.

Everything had been slowly patching itself up. She had called into work to apologise and tell them that she was resigning from her role within the company, much to the dismay of the boss. And she had a long conversation with Mary's principal regarding the suspension and the possibility of Mary's extraction from the school.

All whilst Mary and her dad were training in the gym, Dick teaching Mary some old Grayson tricks from his days in the circus. Mary trying and trying and finally succeeding to grasp the concept of the daredevil stunts.

She listened the waves of the ocean once more, feeling the soft spray of the odd wave catching her face due to the wind. Light footsteps reached her eyes and she straightened up immediately, coming to attention and snapping out of her mediate state.

Whipping around she was surprised to see Barbara, who she had assumed was purposely keeping her distance. "Mind if I join you?" She asked, smiling at her warmly. Zatanna just patted the spot next to her in signal for her to sit down.

"What brings you here?" Zatanna asked nonchalantly, or what she hoped was nonchalantly.

Barbara sighed and ran a hair through her ponytail. "I just wanted to say welcome back, I guess. I've been holed up in Gotham the last few days and because Dick's with you we need all the help we can get."

"My fault?" Zatanna said, not knowing where this particular conversation was going.

"Oh, no!" Barbara said, registering that her choice of words could have lead to some conflict, "Two Face is out of Arkham and everyone's been hands on deck for the past couple of days, and because you just got back we didn't want to disturb Dick. He's already waited so long."

"Oh."

An awkward silence fell between the two women, as far as they knew, the only thing they had in common was that they had dated Dick. Barbara struggled to find the right words to say what she had wanted to say.

"Mary's talented." She blurted out suddenly, wincing as soon as the last word left her mouth, but continuing with her line of thought. "She told you what happened while you were away?"

"Not in great detail." Zatanna frowned, cocking her head to the side and looking at the bat from the corner of her eyes.

"Well, your daughter knows how to gas someone on a motorbike, let me tell you." Babs whistled, laughing at the memory, which seemed so small now, in comparison to the bigger picture.

"She did what?" Zatanna said, facing Batgirl fully now, with a complete look of seriousness on her face, if Barbara didn't know better she was being a mother magician.

"Oh. She didn't tell you that?" The red head chuckled.

"No, excuse me, Barbara. I have to have a word with my daughter." Zatanna said getting up.

"Hey Zatanna. I am really glad to have you back with us." Barbara said before the mistress of magic could walk away in her stride. Zatanna turned back in bewilderment and smiled.

"Thanks, and call me Zee."

* * *

_Be the bird. Be one with the air. Be the energy. Be the star._

Mary chanted, only repeating in her head what she had heard her dad saying earlier, and if was totally honest with him she would come out and say it was downright stupid, but she didn't have the heart to do that.

With one final flip she dismounted off the beam and rolled into a stance. After infinity of begging and puppy dog eyes she had finally convinced her dad to train her in combat, much to the dismay of Aunt Rocky who looked like she wanted to shoot his head of with that fancy belt of hers.

But nevertheless she had gotten her wish and had been going at her beginner's course for two hours now. Although, she was told, just because she was being trained didn't mean that she was being allowed out into the field.

Not that the statement would ever phase her from giving up her dream, after all she had been told by Alfred that both Damian and Dick had started their career as Robin from an early age. And no, she wasn't going to be Robin- that she would leave to Damian.

"Mary-Aster!" Zatanna's voice echoed from down the hall. She immediately dropped her stance and straightened up, looking to Nightwing with a worried and slightly scared glance. In the next second Zatanna had entered the room, using her magic to fling the doors back and entering with a dramatic flare. "What's this about you gassing Batgirl on a motorbike?"

Mary winced and shrunk away from her mother, who may as well have been in the three-eyed dragon. "Um… where did you hear that from?" Mary stuttered, while Dick just smiled and laughed to himself in the background, walking over to Zatanna and greeting her with a swift kiss on the cheek.

"From Batgirl." She gritted out, relaxing slightly as Dick wound his arms around her waist.

Mary struggled for once to find the right words to describe her actions, especially to her mum. "Right. Erm… I… Wo-"

"It was harmless, Zee." Dick sighed against her neck, "Nothing bad happened and she apologized."

Drawing in a shaky breath Zatanna nodded, although she wasn't sure whether it was from worry about her daughter or the fact that she knew Dick was trying to distract her- and damn, it was working.

"Mary, why don't you go see what's for lunch?" Dick suggested with a smirk, almost identical to the one that Mary wore. "I have some details I need to talk about with, Zee." Not wanting to throw away the opportunity to get out of the hazard zone she ran out of there like no tomorrow.

"You still haven't answered my question." Dick reminded his lips dangerously close to her ear.

"Nothing to answer." Zatanna replied, untangling herself from him and looking at him with raised eyebrows. "Fine, ask and I'll answer the best I can."

"I was hoping you would say that," he mumbled, she bit her lip and looked up at him in confusion. And he laughed, shaking his head, telling her that he would explain later… maybe. "Why did you leave?"

And her spirits are suddenly dragged down by the heavy weight that was reality. "I couldn't deal with it." She whispered, looking down in shame at her actions. Unwilling to face Dick's hurt face, the anger, the pain. But she would never know if she looked up she would have seen a smiling and understanding face. "I was scared of rejection and I couldn't face it."

He continued with his few questions, "Were you ever going to tell me about Mary?"

Sharply inhaling a breath she looked up with sad eyes and tried to explain to him that she wanted to, she really did, but the words got caught in her throat. And when she finally chocked out a reply she wasn't sure if it was more heartbreaking for her or for Dick, although she would guess the latter. "I don't know."

"So you were just going to keep her from me?" He said, his jaw tightening at the thought of never meeting his own flesh and blood, his own daughter.

"I- I…" Zatanna tried again, growling in annoyance at her inability to form proper sentences. "It was complicated. There were times where I wanted so badly just to run back to you and pretend that I had never gone away in the first place. I wanted so, _so_ badly for it to never have happened. And then Mary entered the world and I wasn't alone anymore."

"But you weren't going to tell me." He summarised.

"How do you think I felt? I had been gone for years and then the press announce your budding relationship with Barbara Gordon, and of course I saw that coming, you guys spent loads of time together. But I felt like if I came back I would be interfering and that included Mary. Think Dick, if I had come back earlier with Mary what would you have done?"

He looked away and sighed, answering her question that hung in the air, "Exactly."

"What happens now?" He whispered, bringing her in to his embrace. Dipping his head into the juncture between her neck and shoulder, inhaling her scent. She threads her fingers through his thick and tangly hair.

"What do you want to happen?" She asks, staring off past and casting her eyes towards the grey concrete wall, smirking to herself when she remembered what had happened against the wall. He mumbled something into her shoulder and she nudged him, indicating for him to speak up.

"Stay with me."

Zatanna pulled away and looked at him intensely. "Dick, I-"

"Zatanna," he cut her off, using her full name to make sure he had her attention. "Don't say any off that, I've got a life back in New York stuff, that's bull."

"Fine, but do you have enough space?" She asked, a ghost of a smile appearing on her lips, the corners twitching upwards slightly.

And she could ignore the way her heart flutter when he first proposed the arrangement, but then she didn't know how to deal with it so she distracted him. Well, she might add. But she knew that staring a life together they would have to face more than an angry hero association, they would have to face the press of America. Who could easily be mistaken for the Light if she didn't know better.

"More than enough space." He whispered, grinning as they closed the gap.

"I hope so." She chuckled against his lips before they met in the middle.

* * *

"Damian!" Mary yelled, noticing that the plate of food she had put down was taken and replaced with a birdarang. "I swear if you don't give me back my food I will haunt you in your sleep."

A low chuckle ran out through the room. "I've been trained since birth, ten years of it being under my mother and grandfather, and you think you can haunt me in my sleep. Cute." He tuttered. Lowering himself in a Spiderman position from the rafters.

"Well I'm betting that if your grandfather trained you then I would have nothing to worry about." She snarled, being cheered on by the roar of her stomach. "And I'm betting my grandpa can hit harder than your mum can."

"You realize your grandfather is Batman, right?" Damian said dumbly, looking down at her. Admitting that she looked very amusing when angry upside down, yet- most things tended to be amusing when viewing from a different perspective.

"And your mother is Talia Al Ghul." She said with a smirk, "Told ya."

"Food's gone." He said, drawing the attention of the hungry gymnast, who narrowed her eyes dangerously and bared her teeth at her. "Did I not tell you that?" He smiled evilly, and she swore that it resembled the Joker's smile, "I gave it to Bart, who's running around eating from that little platter of yours- he says thanks."

Mary growled and leapt for Damian, knowing that she wouldn't be able to reach him, but installing enough fear in him that he snap his line and run out of the room. "You won't get very far you egg." She hollered as he fled from the scene. Chasing after him, although in truth she had no idea where she was going.

Finally she stopped to catch her breath and let out an exhilarated laugh. Realizing that her daily life could be subject to change into this if they were going to stay with her dad. Damian backtracked and looked at her weirdly.

"You feeling okay, Mary-Aster?" He asked, raising an eyebrow underneath his mask. "Is there a possible fever you haven't told anyone about? I think it's making you delirious."

She laughed harder, the twinkling of bells sounding far off in the distance in perfect match pitch to her. "I'm fine, Dami. I just realized I have a family now, a proper family."

"I highly doubt it's proper if your dad is Nightwing, your mum is a magician and your grandfather is Batman." He said, cautioning each step he took towards her. "That is not the definition of a proper family."

"Yeah well- it's better than being teased about not having a dad." She retorted and thought to herself, _'Dami needs a serious change of 'tude.'_

* * *

They were staying at her dad's apartment tonight. Not because she demanded it, because they made the plans without her. Although Mary really didn't mind because it meant that they were staying together as a family- they still hadn't revealed anything to her yet.

She would also ignore the fact that her dad's big apartment complex was in the middle of Gotham and live happily there for as long as she could. Her short time living at Wayne Manor and being surrounded by her family had shown her that, yes- Gotham is that bad.

Waiting for her parents to make a move to talk to her she sat on the couch waiting for them to come out of their land of whispered conversations and tell her what was going on. Either her mum had put a spell up so she couldn't hear what was being said or they were very good at whispering.

Coughing, Dick sat up straighter and looked at Mary, who looked bored out of her mind.

"Are we staying together or not?" Mary asked before he could even get a letter out. "Because I want to know if I have to go back to that school."

"We are staying together-" Zatanna said with a warm smile.

"YES!" Mary shouted, fisting pumping the air and jumping around like a lunatic.

"-But we're going to have to stay in New York for a week, so we can finalize everything and tell your coach in particular." And Mary's face dropped to a scowl. Her coach wasn't a very forgiving person, she herself had been to the Olympics, but had never gotten a medal or final placing, and if she were the one to tell her coach about the move she would probably turn the gym upside down.

"And you are going to have to go to school for that week as well." Zatanna said with a warning tone, only making Mary's scowl deeper. Which she noticed was similar to her own and not Dick's for once. Which was nice, a certain reassurance that yes, Mary was her child and wasn't a doppelganger.

"School?" Mary cried, hands over her eyes and falling back onto the couch with an 'oof'. "For a week? Do you know how pointless that is? Please tell me there is a plus side to it, can I tell Jen that I have a dad?"

"You can." Zatanna nodded at the same time Dick asked who Jen was. "Jen is a… classmate of Mary's." The magician answered, sending a look to Dick to tell him not to press it further.

"You can forget classmate, she's a frickn' evil Barbie!" Mary exclaimed, still talking with her palms muffling her voice. "How the hell did she get into a catholic school?"

"Mary, don't talk about other people that way." Zatanna said, resuming her role as mother hen. And she caught Mary's muttering about 'you should see how Aunt Raquel talks about her'.

"Jen's the bad person?" Dick asked, directing his question at no one in particular, just very confused about where this Jen person stood.

"YES! Jen is the Joker to the Batman, the Mirror Master to the Flash, Count Vertigo to Green Arrow and Lex Luthor to frickn' Superman." She rattled on, now standing and pacing between point A and B. "She's like the Evil Queen in Snow White." Mary said without thinking.

She covered her mouth as soon as she realized what she had said, turning to look at her mum, who was also in a state of shock. "I am so sorry. I didn't mean to say that… it just came out like word vomit. Bluh. I'll go to New York, I'll go back to school, I'll spend another week with the she devil but I am not telling Coach Simmons about my leaving."

"It's fine." Zatanna smiled, opening her arms for Mary to be hugged in them, "but you can't take it back now, don't think your getting out of school."

"Oh woe is me," Mary sighed, "I have been forced to return to the hell hole that is school."

"I think you'll live, Mary." Dick laughed, joining the family hug.

"Babs told me all about _your _high school years." Mary grinned into her mum's shoulder, too bad she wasn't able to get her head out in time to see his face of utter shock and horror. But she laughs anyway because she knows that from the tense arms that are near her face that he's having a mental debate whether or not to tell Barbara off for disclosing personal stories.

"Feeling the aster, boy wonder?" Zatanna laughs, poking Dick on the nose with her finger. He smiles back and kisses her lightly.

"Totally feeling the aster. Mary?"

"I am the aster-nator!" She bellows, and the small family fall into a fit of laughs and giggles.

* * *

**A/N: So note: this is the second to last chapter and the last will be up tomorrow. (:**

**I feel so much better knowing that I've made it to the end of the story without dragging it on for five hundred thousand chapters, and I'm sorry if it felt like that. So thanks to everyone again and leave a reivew would be very much apreciated! :)**

**-The Missing X**


	21. Chapter 21

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**Quick A/N: THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS REVIEWED, FAVOURITED, FOLLOWED, AND READ THIS STORY! You are basically the reason I kept going and hanging on in there, even when I had brain farts and just did not know what to do. :) Thank you so much and from the pollen on the flowers thank you so much!**

* * *

Mary walked up to the school building in her uniform. The month she had spent away had done nothing but strengthen her hate for the place. She could see, even from a block away, the people moving towards the school. It was like a mass of penguins in Antarctica.

As she entered she regretted not allowing her parents to come along, and at the time she thought she as being independent, because her nerves were skyrocketing and she had no idea why. Maybe it was the fact that the next time Jen teased her, which would probably be as soon as she entered the classroom, she would finally have something to say back to the wicked witch of the west.

So she trudged in, her black combat boots slightly grimy from the walk and her non existent care taking of them, hair up in her ponytail, backpack slung over her shoulder lazily and the necklace her mum had given her under her blouse and cool against her flaming hot skin.

She made her way through the hallways, turning left, right, right, left until she found her classroom. Breathing in she opened the door and walked in, giving off the idea that she had never left in the first place, she quickly found her seat at the back of the class and was pleased to find that someone hadn't stuffed the underside with gum.

"Well, well, well." Jen's voice called out, loud enough to travel to Gotham for Bruce to hear, "If it isn't Mary-Aster. Where have you been the last month?" God, she couldn't stand Jen. Already back and she could see that she had added more flour to her cake face.

"It doesn't concern you, Jennifer." Mary sneered back, her eyes locking with the devil, blue met blue as they stayed silent for a second before Jen had to say something.

"Everyone's been worried about you, after you punched me they thought you'd ran away. Imagine that, little Mary running away because she punched a person that is too good for her," Jen smirked, not a fun loving smirk, but a smirk Gargamel would give if he had tricked the smurfs.

"Well if they know I punched the 'big bang wolf' I don't think anyone has anything to worry about, I'm here for a week." Mary rolled her eyes and looked at her nails in boredom. She would never have thought that she could ever get bored of throwing new information out there to put everyone off guard.

"Where are you going in a week? Arkham Asylum?" Jen's followers laughed, the class watched in earnest and Mary just raised an eyebrow.

"If you must know, my family is moving to Gotham." She drawled, and she wouldn't even think of saying this without her parent's clearance first, but she had gotten it- and boy, was she going to use it.

"Family?" Jen scoffed, "You don't have a family, you have a mum and that's it. Oh, by the way, did you figure out if your mum was the Zatanna Zatara of the Justice League or if she's just a fake?" Then addressing her army, "My guess is she's fake." Earning some snickers from the mindless group of people.

"Well, that's where your wrong." Mary smiled, showing off her pearly whites, "While I was away I met my dad and his family. Oh, and by the _way_," she said in an over high pitched voice to match Jen's, "I found out yes- my mum is Zatanna Zatara of the Justice League, so you better watch what you say, _Jengle._"

Silence.

Pure silence.

And it really hit her that she didn't like silence, it was too edgy, too empty, too nervy. And she couldn't understand why Tim, Damian, and Bruce liked silence so much. They basically swam in silence, ate in silence, and Bruce was like the King of Broods and Bats.

"_Your _mum, is Zatanna Zatara." Jen repeated, there was a pause before she broke down. "But your last name's not even Zatara is Arataz! You can't do magic, you can't even save yourself from other people. You are such a little faker Mary-Aster."

Mary rolled her eyes for what seemed like the tenth thousandth time, "Flip my last name around and you get Zatara, I can't do magic because of my dad and I'm saving myself from you and your plastic slime balls."

"Oh yeah, you claim to know who your dad is, so who is he?" Jen challenged, crossing her arms over her chest and tilting her head up in what she thought was a victory. But for once, Mary didn't stumbled when this question was asked, she just looked at Jen with a smile that could rival the Cheshire Cat and crossed her legs over the desk.

"Let me give you a clue," she smiled sweetly, with the faintest amount of venom, "My full name is Mary-Aster Sindella Zatara-Grayson."

Jen's jaw dropped and her eyebrows rose considerably, as did everyone else who was listening in- which was the whole class. It was three minutes to the bell, three minutes until the teacher arrived, and three minutes that she would have to hold up the fort.

"You're saying that Richard Grayson is your dad?" Jen said, and then laughed out loud. Her eyes swimming with tears and her hands clutching her sides. Stupidly her crew followed on and giggled like a high-pitched chiwawa who had gurgled the wrong water.

"Uh huh, and your dad owns a toilet paper company." Mary smiled, watching Jen's eye twitch with the slightest amount of hatred and annoyance with absolute pleasure. "And besides, I'm not going to be here very longer."

"Jen." A sharp and loud voice cut through from the front of the class, everyone turned in a rush to get back to their seats. "What are you doing?" God, the teacher did _not_ look happy at the moment. "get back to your seat, class is staring."

Replying with a small and nearly unheard 'yes' Jen walked back to her desk, her small heels clicking on the hard floor of the classroom and Mary smirked. She had finally gotten Jen caught in the act, and now everyone knew that it wasn't just 'in her head' about the torment she had suffered through the years.

"Mary," The teacher said, causing the young girl to sit up and take her feet off the desk, "The principal would like to see you in her office." Mary nodded and grabbed her stuff, slinging her backpack over one shoulder and rolling her eyes at the chorus of 'oos' that circled the room.

"You wanted to see me?" Mary asked, peeping her head through the door.

"Ah, Mary." Principal Rosin said, smiling tightly at her and signaling her to have the seat opposite her and next to a familiar mop of black hair. "Shall we cut straight to the point?" Mary nodded, and so did Dick, who was sitting in a dress shirt and jeans, wearing a very warming and calm smile- one which Mary knew was fake.

"Mr Grayson tells me that you will be transferring to Gotham Academy by the end of this week, is it true?" The principle asks, taking notes like a counselor and looking at Mary for any signs that may lead to any truths or busts.

"I knew I was moving to Gotham, didn't know it was Gotham Academy." Mary shrugged.

"Mr Grayson also claims that he is your father, is that true as well?" Principle Rosin asked, pursing her lips and glaring slightly at the father. As far as she knew Mary's application form to the school and her school details stated that she had no known father.

"What do you want to call him? A sperm donor?" Mary spat out, causing both adults in the room to start choking on air. "He's my dad, twenty three of my chromosomes and the reason why I have darker eyes than my mum."

"Mary that is not acceptable for you to say, especially at your age." The principle scolded, giving her a stern look. "So he is your father?"

"Yes." Mary groaned, her head falling back on the back of the chair and giving her dad a subtle smirk, and laughing to herself as he smirked back. Now Principle Rosin saw the resemblance between the two Graysons.

"Well, you'd have to get your teachers to sign this slip, and we'll have to be in touch with Gotham academy about your academics and extra curricular activities, but other than that you can go back to class. If you would, Mr Grayson, I would like to talk to you about Mary."

"See ya, dad." Mary waved before walking out and closing the door behind her.

* * *

Mary's day rotated through normally and the odd whisper about the rumors Jen had spread about her, but other than that Mary though this had to be one of her best days of school. Too bad it would be one of the lasts at this school.

She had gotten her slip signed by all her teachers, some even grumbled about the transfer in the middle of school term, but she didn't care- no grumpy science nerd was going to hold her back, not now, not ever.

By the time she had gotten home and helped her mum unpack, doing most of the work because now that Zatanna's secret was out she could use her magic, she was exhausted and had no time to say goodnight to her dad who had to return to Gotham for work.

Her dreams were filled with stars and heroes, Gotham's skyline and a happy house. She smiled in her sleep and Zatanna turned the television on in the living room to give her something to do. No matter what time it was there was always something on the news, especially on the Gotham News.

_"Reporting live from outside of Wayne Manor. Mr Wayne and his ward, Richard Grayson, have released a statement to the public announcing that what bachelorettes of Gotha have been dreading. That's right folks, Mr Grayson is not only taken, but has a child with the mysterious lady. Sources say that the couple have been separated for quite some time, but are no less happy. This is Heather Goldmore presenting for Gotham News, back to the studio." _

Zatanna's hand moved to turn off the television. She didn't know whether to be happy that it was out in the open, or really pissed that someone had obviously blabbed to the media about their predicament. Honestly, she was just trying to stall and get out of having to go to the dinner Bruce was hosting for their announcement.

Mary didn't know it yet, but her and Dick were technically engaged.

Dick, being impulsive at times and not giving her any warning what so ever, had gotten down on one knee after they had watched a movie at the cave and popped the question. The question had surprised her so much she was rendered speechless for about ten minutes.

But after she had gotten past the initial shock she said 'yes'. They had lived in a blissful fantasy for days after that, and no one knew of their status, not even Batman. So they never told anyone- and she still didn't know if it was still standing after the ten years, but whatever it would take she would be by his side for the rest of eternity.

* * *

Mary bit her lip and fiddled with the small bangle around her arm.

Tonight was the big reveal, the showstopper and the moment of truth.

For her it meant everything.

For her it meant the reality check that she so desperately needed.

For her it meant that her days of hiding were over.

She was out in the light for everyone to see.

A hand was carefully placed on her shoulder, "You ready?"

Drawing in a shaking breath she looked up, seeing her reflection in her eyes and smiled, "Totally."

"Don't forget, we love you." Another hand placed itself on her shoulder, and her demeanor relaxed a whole notch. "We will until all the flowers on this world are gone and there is no light."

"S'alright, mum." Mary grinned, "I am totally feeling the aster."

This time when she said it, she really meant it…


End file.
